Chapter 3

"You need to stop crying, Ava. The master scolded everyone," Lady Martha murmured, still searching for the perfect skirt for me.

It seemed like my attempt to reassure myself failed, as I continued to cry. "I know, Lady Martha, but what if I lose half of my salary? That's why I'm crying. Mother was so happy when she heard how much I would be earning by the end of the month."

I couldn't understand why, but I couldn't stop myself from crying. Perhaps it was because nobody had ever spoken to me like that before. If it weren't for the situation at home, I wouldn't be here as a maid. I would be in school with my friends. But look at me now. If only father hadn't passed away... life can be so cruel.

"But the master did say he pardoned you, right?"

Nodding, Lady Martha smiled warmly. "Don't worry about that, then. Your money is safe and secure," she promised.

"But you know, Lady Martha, the master shouldn't have raised his voice at me." Lady Martha stopped what she was doing and focused her attention fully on me.

Her brows furrowed. "Have you heard of the term 'big ass privilege'?" The sentence, however, made her laugh.

"What's so funny? Is my ass really that big?" I asked, not entirely sure why she was laughing. But it's not my fault I have a big ass. I mean, my mom does, so it's expected.

"It is, Ava," she replied, trying hard to stifle her laughter.

"Is the privilege not working? Or do I just look weird with it? Oh no! Please don't tell me I've been walking around looking like a clown!" I pouted, as Lady Martha moved closer to me with the new skirt. This one was a bit longer than the previous one.

"Don't worry about it, dear. Maybe the master just hasn't noticed your backside," she smiled, handing the skirt to me. "Stop thinking about that and just focus on doing things right from now on, okay?"

Nodding, I purred, "I'll put this on while you give me my schedule for this week. And next week, we can meet to discuss any changes in my duties."

"Alright, Lady Martha. Thank you for making me feel better," I replied, feeling much reassured. I think I like this woman. She's almost like a second mother to me.

When Lady Martha walked away, I quickly took off my skirt and put on the new one. It was long enough to reach my knees, which was a relief. I kicked off my heels and slipped into a pair of black sneakers, taking a deep breath.

"Here is the schedule," Lady Martha said, handing me a piece of paper.

"Thanks! I'll get to it right away." Stepping out of Lady Martha's room, I opened the schedule book and smiled. My first duty was written in bold letters: "TAKE CARE OF THE MASTER'S PETS, FEED THEM."

"I never pictured him having a pet, and Lady Martha didn't mention it yesterday," I murmured to myself. Making my way to the living room, I was glad to see another maid there whom I could ask about the location of the pets.

"Excuse me," I said. The maid had short, blond hair, blue eyes, and a nicely pointed nose. She was quite pretty. "I was wondering where the master's pets are kept."

"They're behind the servants' changing room," she replied with a smile. "But be careful." And with that, she turned around and went back to cleaning the walls, which were already spotless. I still couldn't figure out why there were so many maids in this house. Shaking my head, I turned around and headed towards the pets' location.

As I walked, I noticed everyone around me was hard at work. There were five people in the kitchen, busy preparing food, washing dishes, and cleaning the floors. In the living room, three maids were meticulously cutting and watering the flowers. Outside, five maids were diligently sweeping the compound. I smiled, impressed by their dedication. Finally, I reached the area where the master's pets were kept and prepared to feed them.

I wonder what kind of pets they have. Are they beautiful dogs, cats, or maybe even parrots? If they are, I would love to get close to them and pet them. I couldn't help but wonder as I continued on my way. Ugh! It feels like it's taking forever to get there. Did I mention that this house is ridiculously huge? Well, now you know.

As I approached the location, my eyes fixed on the cage and the two buckets outside. I assumed they must be the pets' food. Moving closer, I peered inside one of the buckets and gasped, horrified by what I saw.

There were dead bodies. Human hands, legs, thighs, hearts, and other body parts were kept in the bucket. What on Earth is this? Why would the master feed his pets with human flesh? Whose bodies are these?

I took a step back, feeling a wave of unease wash over me. My mind raced to different places. Does being punished here mean death? What is he doing with these human bodies? And what on earth was inside that cage? I suddenly felt overwhelmed with fear.

Gathering my courage, I mumbled with a trembling voice, "Come out for food," and that's when three enormous wolves came into view, causing me to step back and accidentally bump into a tall figure. I didn't need anyone to tell me who that was before I recognized him.

"Master?" I stepped away, slowly turning around to face him. He was dressed in his army uniform, his hair neatly combed, and his eyes carefully watching my every move. His next words sent a chill down my spine.

"Feed it," his words made me cringe. How am I supposed to touch these dead bodies? I can't do it. The mere thought of it makes me feel sick, and I might even get sick and possibly die. I just can't bring myself to do it. We're talking about real dead bodies here, and just looking at them gives me chills.

Damon said nothing more; he remained standing there, observing the various emotions playing across my face. I could sense it. I'm afraid of dead bodies, I fear his pet, and I also fear him. This fear won't exactly help if he wants me by his side. But he needs to understand that I can't suddenly become comfortable with these things. It takes time and understanding, not weakness.

Damon's POV

For years, I thought the ritual wasn't successful, and then suddenly she came to me on her own, saving me the stress of starting another search for my woman. But I can't just let her know that I have been longing to see her. She might think I'm crazy. I saw the confusion on her face when I called her Lara the other day; she must think I'm forgetful.

However, one thing is certain: she needs to be taught certain things. She talks excessively, she's too clumsy, and her sense of fashion is quite peculiar. There are many aspects we need to work on.

"Feed it, Lara." I know she must be wondering why I keep calling her Lara. Well, I once knew her by that name, but I'll try calling her Ava soon.

"Feed it, Ava," I repeated, knowing her heart rate increased. It was so loud and fast that I could hear it from where I stood. I can't believe she's scared to touch those body parts.

"They are human bodies, master," she trembled while swallowing.

"How am I supposed to touch that? Please, master, don't make me touch them, please..." She pleaded, on the verge of tears.

"Why can't you touch them? I mean, they are just hands and feet and a few others, so tell me," I furrowed my brows, looking at her. She used her hand to wipe an imaginary sweat from her forehead. "Come." When those words left my mouth, she looked up at me, shocked and filled with fear. "I hate repeating myself, Ava. I said, come!"

She moved slowly towards me and stood just an inch away. "I am heading to my army, and before I return, I want my pets fed and my room cleaned." Her gaze lowered. "Cleaning my room is in your schedule, isn't it?" I watched as she checked the tiny book and nodded.

"Good." I dipped my hands into my pocket and pulled out a beautiful necklace I had bought after laying eyes on her yesterday.

"Turn around." When she turned, I lifted her dark hair and put the necklace around her neck. "Do not take it off," I warned.

"Why?" She turned around, looking confused, which kind of annoyed me. Must she always question me?

"You're not allowed to ask me questions, Ava." Tilting my head to the left, I studied her carefully. She still looked beautiful, just as she did centuries ago. "But I will answer this: because it suits you." With that, I turned around and walked away.

On my way out, I decided to give her one last glance, only to find her vomiting after throwing a piece of flesh at my pet. She was too human for my liking. I turned around and headed to my limo, stepping in and shutting the door. "To the army," I ordered.

"Yes, sir," my driver replied.

Human flesh should mean nothing to her, but now that she's human, I have to completely change her. I can't imagine myself staying with such a weak creature. I wonder why she had to become human; she could have been a witch or a vampire-like she used to be, considering her father is a vampire. Regardless of where she was born, she's supposed to have a bit of her vampire parents' blood. Maybe hers is different.

Humans are like cows. You can push them around however you want. Even if they train in combat, sword fighting, and the like, they are weak. It still surprises me why we don't just cage them up, make them servants to do our bidding, and kill them when we grow tired of their behavior and clumsy ways.

Ava needs serious training. Training in everything: walking, speaking, behaving, and, most importantly...

Pleasing me.

"That is no way to treat a lady, Damon," Grant mumbled with a laugh. "She was fucking shivering with fear, man."

"How many times have I warned you not to stick your nose in my business?" I turned my gaze to my left and growled at him. "I also distinctly remember telling you to stop appearing in my car whenever you please," I said through gritted teeth.

"Cool down, Damon. I'm just saying... Lara won't love you, but she will fear you. If you continue to act this way towards her, you're forgetting that you're the one who wronged her," he replied calmly.

"That's none of your business." Averting my gaze, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "She is mine, and I will treat her how I wish. And, by the way, her name is Ava now, not Lara." I reminded him, and he just chuckled. I genuinely don't know how I became friends with this clown here.

"Hey, dude! Stop wondering and face the fact that I'm your one and only true friend," he said, knowing exactly what I was thinking.