"I wasn't on a tour. Could you tell me where I am?"
He looked her over, eyes lingering on her neck. She covered the bite marks self- consciously.
"Ye drinkin'?"
"Um, yeah," she said slowly. "I had all my…things stolen."
He gasped and crossed himself.
"Mother Mary," he murmured. "This is the second time in a year some thug's attacked a tourist. The world is going to shite."
"It is," she agreed. "Listen, I need a phone. I have to call my sister and tell her to send money so I can get home."
"Come, come with me," he said, resolution on his face. "Not all us here are thugs."
He led her back the way she'd come and to a small house with a couple dozen fluffy sheep in a pen in back. She paused on the sagging porch until he beckoned her in. The house was cozy and simple, with creaky wooden floors covered in rugs, a pot-bellied stove still warm, and worn furniture.
"Toilets are there," he said, pointing.
She grimaced, expecting an outhouse, and was pleasantly surprised at the cozy but modern bathroom. She looked first in the mirror and froze. Aside from the scarring, a maroon tattoo seemed to wind all the way around her neck. She turned slowly and craned her head to confirm the design covered every inch of her exposed neck.
"Son of a bitch!"
Rhyn.
He'd not just claimed her in deed but had the nerve to brand her like chattel as well! She'd never in her life wanted a tattoo, but to have some blood-sucking, shape changing, ill-tempered, inhuman beast's name on her neck was infuriating! She tried to scrub it off with no success.
When she emerged, she saw tea and cookies on the small table tucked into a corner of the living room. She joined him, hesitating before gulping down most of the cookies.
"Here ye go," the old man said, handing her a cell phone. "Yer American?"
"Yeah."
"Dial oh-one-one then the number."
He eased into the chair across from her and poured them both tea as she dialed.
"Hello?"
"Hey sis!" Katie exclaimed, never as happy as that moment to hear Hannah's voice.
"Oh, god, Katherine! Where are you? What happened? Gio had the police looking everywhere for you! They said you'd been kidnapped from the --"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I was…taken. Not sure where I am now, but I'm free and okay."