Chapter 18: Am I the food?
She had been unsure to use the bath knowing well that the bathroom didn't have a door of its own and if any time, the man of the room decided to enter, her very soul would combust out of shame. Penny still remembered the few days she had to spend by stripping away her clothes along with the other slaves who were part of the slave establishment.
When the water touched her skin, it took a while for the dirt, sweat, and mud that had stuck to her after the fall to loosen to be pushed down to mingle with the water she was in. The tub she sat in turned light brown in color. Unclogging and clogging the water to allow freshwater, she poured the water on her head over and over again until the knots started to smoothen at the ends of her hair.
A shiver ran down her spine making her realize she had to step out of the tub before her body would catch a cold again. Taking the towel, she gently wiped it around her body while also making sure she had cleaned herself well as she didn't want to get any dirt on the white fluffy towel. Peeking her head out of the curtain, she made sure that there was no one and started to dress in the dress that was previously placed on the bed by the butler, Falcon.
Penny wore the dress which was pale floral in color with flowers that were splashed here and there. The sides near her waist had lace which was long. Unsure of what to do, she wondered if she was supposed to let them be. Unsure, she started to rotate around the lace which was thick to finally be able to tie it behind her with a small knot which she hid as if the dress was woven this way.
As she had turned and turned the lace, it emphasized her small waist which increased in width where her hips were located before the dress flowed down. The sleeves weren't long and were rather short that stopped just before they could start properly. It was a beautiful dress, who knew that slaves had such a privilege. Maybe it wasn't that bad, she thought to herself. Penny had been so into dressing herself that it was while she was tying her hair did she wonder why she was dressing up.
She stared at her reflection, a frown coming to place on her forehead. It was as if she was looking forward to showing the dress she was wearing. Just as that thought started to invade her mind, the door opened and her head snapped to look at the man who had bought her. He looked handsome, some of his hair combed back while he left the other half to hover over his forehead. His full lips set straight as he looked at her.
"The dress looks lovely," Damien complimented, taking in long strides into the room to see her in the dress, "Don't you think that I was worried it might not look so good but I must say I have an excellent choice when it comes to most of these things," he smirked. All the while he was blowing his own horns, Penny didn't speak a word.
And then suddenly he said, "You can now take off the dress."
Penny who had previously been frowning frowned further by his words. She took a step back without breaking his gaze.
"Little mouse, don't tell me you liked the dress," Damien tilted his head while gauging her expression which appeared to look at him skeptically, "The dress was bought for one of the high Duke's daughters. She has been asking me to meet her to shop and I thought what better way is there than to give her a dress. She is of your height," the man raised his hand to a level where Penny was much taller making her seem like a dwarf but in truth, she was short when compared to him. He was a rather tall man like many pureblooded vampires that she had heard before. She did feel like a mouse in front of him.
When he snapped his fingers in front of her, it broke her trance-like state where she was talking to herself to look back at him. An annoyed expression came to form on her face to which he smiled.
"I should discipline you so that you turn to be a more obedient one or would you prefer that I send you back to the slave establishment for some time so that you learn not to make faces to your master," upon hearing his words Penny quickly schooled her features and looked down at the floor. This demon sure knew how to use the current situation to his advantage. She regretted internally opening her mouth and letting him know about her not being a slave.
Even though she didn't have a mark, that didn't erase the history of records of her being a slave. It was the jeopardy she had put herself in which she couldn't come out.
"You didn't think I would dress up my slave like a lady now did you? I bought your clothes right here with me," he said bringing up his hand and dangling the dull faded dress which she had not noticed before. For someone like Penny, the dress she wore right now would have not been affordable and it would take her months or maybe years before she could have the courage to spend money on something lavish like this. Though she wasn't happy about being a slave, it didn't mean she was unhappy wearing the dress she wore right now.
To think he was kind was a folly, thought Penny when she took hold of the dress he gave her and she took them without a word. The man was vexing and she would repay him in the right way without using many words. That was right, thought Penny to herself.
It saddened her. His words hit deep into her chest which she already knew and was taking time to digest. She was a slave, a person beneath all the status in the world now. She was somebody before being thrown into the establishment but now she was a nobody. In this world where she had been pulled and dragged into, she was nothing more than a slave of no value or say. A servant at least had an opportunity to quit at times or be moved to another household but a slave's life was bound to the master who bought them.
Taking a deep breath, she went inside the bathroom and started to change the dress before pulling the curtain to stop his eyes from seeing her.
"How are you doing now?" she heard him ask. Penny was annoyed to talk to him and she didn't answer him when she heard him say, "If you don't want me asking you questions right in front of me while you change, I don't mind that. I am sure it will be more effective."
If Penny's eyes had the power of light, there would have been two holes in the curtain that would pass through and burn the man.
"I have a headache," she answered. It was better to not lie with this man than being twisted around his finger the way he wanted. It was obvious that this man was used to having everything being played according to his rules, and even if it weren't in the rules, he appeared to be the kind who would erase and modify it to his liking. Deciding to speak, she said, "You promised to feed me."
"That I did and I think you did have a bowl. Don't tell me you are a glutton," he taunted her, his words making her press her lips together where she pulled out the dress from her body.
How dare he, Penny glared into the curtain. She might have been reduced to a slave but that didn't mean she had lost her pride. No woman would like to ask for another bowl when she was being called a glutton but was pride more important than her stomach right now? Penny placed her hand on her stomach.
She closed her eyes, her breathing getting shallower before she admitted, "I need more food."
"Don't worry, little mouse. You will be fed once you have worn your clothes."
While making sure he wouldn't enter the bathroom, Penny wore the dress she was given which was loose and pale white in color. If it were the color of brown, then one could easily tell that it looked like a sack that had belonged to the vegetables. The texture of it was coarse on her skin making her itch every time she moved her body.
Before stepping out with the dress she was asked to remove, she narrowed her eyes before grinning quietly like a child who wasn't supposed to do what she planned in her mind. Finding one end of the dress she pulled out the thread, one thread after another.
Finally stepping out of the bathroom for the second time in less than half an hour, she saw Damien's eyes brighten up. He took the dress from her and said, "Don't you look lovely. Come now, let's go get you fed," without waiting for a reply from her side, he started to head to the door and opened it for her to follow.
On their way, she made sure not to lose his sight, keeping up with his footsteps to find several servants who were already on their job of working in the mansion. He led her down the curved staircase before leading her to a double door room which was already wide open.
Damien stepped inside the room and Penny followed him until her quick footsteps slowed down at the sight of four people who were seated at the dining table while Falcon stood next to the older man who sat at the head of the table. She didn't sweep her eyes for long as every one of them possessed red eyes. They were all pureblooded vampires.
Did she mishear when Damien had told her that he would feed her?
Or was it that the people here were going to feed on her as she was 'the' meal?
Chapter 19: Meet the Quinns
Penny who had been happy earlier when she had been told to wear the dress that was set on the bed now looked dull and withered like a trampled flower who wore a thick dress that screamed of her identity.
But that wasn't what bothered her right now. It was that there were five people who were seated looking at her before moving their gaze towards Damien.
A girl who looked to be around her same age but in terms of a pureblooded vampire spoke, "I think Damien forgot basic etiquettes of the dining room by bringing the slave in here," her eyes staring at Penny as if she were a rat that had come to spoil her meal.
"We don't allow slaves to step in here, Damien," the woman who sat next to the man sitting at the head of the table was the one to speak next who Penny guessed to be their mother. The woman had thin eyebrows that arched up, her lips painted red in color just like the girl who spoke. The vampiress' name was Grace who was the younger sister to both Damien and Maggie but not by blood. With their mother who had died early, his father had remarried where the girl came to be their half sister.
By appearance, she looked very familiar to her mother. Blonde hair, full lips. Eyebrows that looked just like her mother, making her seem older than her age while in reality, she was young, immature, and spoiled. A ribbon was tied around her neck, her brown dress looking somewhere close to the color that Penny wore now.
"Don't worry, she isn't a slave," Damien had already walked around the table, ready to take a seat when he caught Penny who had stopped walking, "Are you planning to stand there?" The question was directed to Penny and she quickly hustled around to come to where he stood.
"Why don't you say something, daddy," the young pureblooded vampire girl complained in distaste. The vampiress stood up, letting the chair screech loud and clear in the quiet dining room.
"Grace," the older vampire who sat at the head of the table warned but the vampiress had already gone to walk towards where the human girl stood. Catching hold of Penny's wrist, Grace started to pull her for Damien to catch hold of her hand in return.
"What do you think you are doing there, Grace?" asked Damien, his hand getting tighter by the second on his younger sister's hand. If the hand belonged to a human, it sure was going to have blood clot with marks but even for a pureblooded vampire, the strength that Damien possessed was too much to handle.
If it were one thing the half-siblings had in common, it was that both of them were stubborn in nature. Damien's hand held Grace's hand, Grace holding Penny's wrist and Penny who stood still like a statue. Frankly, she didn't want any part of this hostile environment that was surrounding her. All she needed was food but no, that wasn't happening.
"Let go of my hand," said the vampiress, her eyes burning brightly.
"Right after you, sister. Remove your hand from her," Damien warned when his eyes flickered from his sister and then on her hand where she held on his belonging, "If you don't want to play your beloved piano anymore continue holding it and I shall fulfill your wish," he mused for his sister to move her hand away but the young vampiress didn't move away. Everyone knew how Damien's threat worked, right after his words came the immediate action and she believed if tested he would for sure break her hand without batting an eye.
"We have never had a slave enter the dining room until now. Send her out, right now," Grace gritted her teeth.
"Falcon," called Damien.
"Yes, Master Damien," the butler came to his call, waiting for the order, "I need a glass of blood tea before I finish my meal. Boil it well, I don't want to find any residue in my cup," he ignored his sister's words and sat down at the table.
"Damien," his step-mother said, "Please tell me you don't intend for the slave to sit with us. Honey," she looked at her husband who had been least bothered to involve himself in this early morning family charade. He wanted to have a decent meal and was something he had been looking forward to.
"Yes, dear," he said, raising his face whilst stopping from cutting the meat that was placed on his silver plate. The woman gave him a serious look to which the older vampire cleared his throat. Before his father could say anything, Damien rolled his eyes turning to look at Penny and say,
"Little mouse, sit down," he nudged his head towards the clean floor.
Penny didn't expect anything less. Even if Quinn's family was not going to oppose the idea of her sitting at the table, she knew the demon who had asked her to sit would have something up his sleeve to annoy her further. For a servant or even the butler, it was unheard of anyone sitting and sharing the same table as their masters and mistress. And here she was a slave who was lower in status and position when compared to the servants. Sitting even near the table would be considered to be fortunate.
The floor was cold but the dress that she wore which was what most or some of the slaves wore prevented her from feeling too cold.
Penny waited for a plate that would be placed in front of her and she would be given food but the time never came. It felt like something that was repeating for the second time in the presence of Damien. Various delicacies of food were brought inside the dining room, one item after another being placed on the table while being served around for Penny to only smell.
"You really did get us there for a moment, Dami," his step-mother said with a small laugh that was empty as how he saw her be. He disliked the shortened name, "Did you get her from the black market?"
"I did. Are you looking for a slave?" asked Damien while taking the loaf of bread and smearing it with meat by using a knife.
"Actually I am. It's been a while since I had one," at her chiming words, Damien said,
"Are you already bored with father? It must be the years," his father who had not involved himself in the morning conversation at the dining table looked up at his son who offered him a wink. It was no secret in the household that Damien disliked the woman and didn't welcome her as his mother. She was a woman who couldn't be replaced by his late mother. His elder sister, Maggie who was six years older than him was a kind vampiress but he had never followed her footsteps of being an obedient child. While the elder sister was the most reasonable child out of all three children of the Quinn's the worst went to the other two children who were Damien and Grace.
His father, Gerald Quinn had married his stepmother Fleurance Heathcrow when he was of the age of fifteen. Though he didn't object to the marriage as it was what his father had decided, it didn't mean he accepted the woman to be part of his family which was known by all. Maggie was sweet enough to not cause trouble but Damien took every opportunity where the words always moved back and forth at the table by his step-mother, his half-sister, and him with remarks that never stopped or got old.
When his father opened his mouth, his wife laughed again to lighten the mood. His step-mother said, "I am sure your father and I both will benefit from it. But you did well by buying a slave, this way you will know the ways of being a pureblooded vampire," Damien smiled, wanting to tell something when his sister who sat next to him spoke,
"Will you be going to the council today?" asked Maggie, being the usual diffuser of conversations that took place in the family, she tried to reach for the salt which Damien picked up for her.
"I have been asked to not go back for a week. There are other things that need to be looked into at the moment," he replied and on time, Falcon arrived with the blood tea in a cup, carrying it to the young master, "Keep it here," he directed the butler who did as told.
"How are things at the council?" his father spoke once he was done with his breakfast. He dabbed the napkin on his mouth to place it on the side of the plate, "With the recent massacre there must be a lot going on," the man enquired.
Damien nodded his head, placing the meat smeared bread on his plate, he picked up another piece of bread this time smearing it with the butter, "The council is interrogating the Carmichael's butler over the massacre that took place in the mansion. They are hoping to find something out of it," once he was done, he passed the bread to Penny who was looking down at the floor.
Seeing this, Grace who was going to take a bite from the fork stopped midway...
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
50 Power
stone 
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