Chapter 5

Julienne

I choked on my sobs, my body shaking with a mix of fear and relief. The door I had come so close to death.

Daemon's words rang in my mind. He knew about his father's death and he was blaming me?

How could anyone think that? Why would I ever kill anyone? I didn't kill him. I loved him. I….

Shuddered breaths left me.

The rage in his eyes and the cold metal of the gun was still imprinted in my mind. The pain surrounding my neck where his hands were throbbed painfully.

I closed my eyes, curling into myself on the floor.

How had my life changed so suddenly?

The man I loved as a father was gone. My mother had sold me and now, I had nearly died. It was all too much. Too much.

Why was this happening to me?

I cried until I couldn't cry anymore, heaving my sobs until exhaustion took over. Soon I felt my limbs getting heavier. I was too tired to fight the waves of sleep and so I passed out.

….

I woke up groggy and disoriented. As I opened my eyes to sunlight I couldn't process where I was at first.

Then I remembered. My mother. The auction.

Daemon.

BANG

A scream gathered in my throat and I turned to find men standing at the door. Before I could think, they burst into the room, pulling me up harshly to my feet.

“Move,” one of them ordered and panic seeped into me. Where were they taking me?

I barely had any time to recover when they began moving. I stumbled, trying to keep up with them as they dragged me out of the room.

I was taken through hallways until. We stopped in front of a door, and one of the men pushed it open.

“In,” he growled, shoving me inside.

I stumbled into the room, my heart racing. Looking around the space seemed smaller, but I wasn't given any time to think when a woman came into my view.

A stern expression laid on her face. I recognized her immediately as the same woman who had led me to this room.

“Strip,” she ordered, and I blinked in shock.

What on earth?

Before I could speak, clothes were placed in front of me.

"You'll be wearing new clothes from now on. Now strip and change into them.” her tone left no questions to be asked.

Too many questions ran through my mind. I didn't know why everything that was happening but the look on her face stopped me from doing anything else. Despite my trembling, I obeyed her, ignoring her scrutiny of my frame as I took off my old clothes and wore the new ones.

Even when I was done, the woman just glared at me, her arms crossed.

“This place will be your room from now on.” She said, “According to Signore’s orders, you'll be working as a maid in the mansion starting now.”

Shock filled me to the brim. A maid?

What had I gotten myself into?

I wasn't given any time for reprieve as I was dragged out to begin my ‘duties’ as early as possible. It was only morning, little did I know it was just the beginning.

I was made to clean relentlessly, hours passing with no rest, leaving me completely exhausted. From room to quarter I was worked to the bone.

By the time evening arrived, my body ached, my hands raw and sore.

I thought everything was over as I arrived back in the room that was now my own, yet the woman soon stood at my door .

“Signore has asked you to serve him during dinner.” she said and my heart flew to my throat.

Thinking back to the mad look in Daemon's eyes before made my gut turn. He had nearly killed me several hours ago before putting me in this state.

I couldn't understand. Why was he doing this? What did he want from me?

I was led to the dining room. The place was opulent, with a long, polished table that seemed to stretch on forever. Candles flickered, casting shadows on the walls as the crystal glasses sparkled in the dim light.

And Daemon sat at the head of the table, his eyes cold and unyielding.

Throughout, I did exactly as ordered, serving him. I remained standing despite exhaustion filling me and obeyed his orders.

When I moved to pour his wine for what seemed like the 50th time, his hand suddenly slipped across the table, pushing the wine glass to the floor. I stumbled back as the glass shattered.

“Oops. It seems I've had an accident. Clean that up for me will you?” He said in an emotionless tone, his gaze trailing up to me with a smirk.

I tensed. It was clear it was no accident. He'd pushed the glass on purpose.

“Excuse me,” I said, heading for cleaning materials when his voice stopped me.

“With your bare hands, Cara.”

I spun around in shock and disbelief.

Tears bit against my eyes as I knelt down. My hands shook but slowly and surely I picked up the shards of glass. He watched me, his expression unchanging, as I cut my hands on the glass.

When I finally finished, my hands were bleeding. I shook trying to hold back the pain and the humiliation he'd brought upon me. Daemon didn't even flinch, a smirk still laid on his face.

“Good,” he smiled, “now get out.”

I didn't know how I'd reached my room. I could only remember stumbling across the hallways, the recent events on my mind.

Before I knew it, I'd collapsed onto the bed. Sobs wracked me.

My hands burned with every injury. But it wasn't just that. It was everything today, from the death threat to the constant work to the cold smirk on his face. He was taking satisfaction from doing this to me.

It hurt.

What had I done to deserve this? How had my life turned into this? Why was Daemon so cruel to me?

So lost in my thoughts I barely caught the door opening.

“Enjoying your new life?”

My breath hitched at the voice. Spinning around I found Damon at the doorway, a mocking smile on his face. When did he come in?

He stepped inside, eyes roving over me before his gaze lowered to my hands.

“Tough luck cara. You should get that disinfected.”

My jaw clenched and I looked up at him. Frantically wiping the tears away I stood to face him.

“Why are you treating me like this?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“Don't tell me you're still acting dumb. Isn't it clear?” he asked, smile growing wider as he approached me, backing me into a corner before he leaned in.

“Revenge,” he said, "Revenge for my father's death."

His words were like a punch and horror filled me as it sank in. He thought I killed Lucian?

“I didn't kill him!” I protested.

“Shut up,” he growled.

“People like you never admit the truth. But it doesn't matter. You and your whore mother messed with my family and killed my father. Soon enough I'll deal with her, but I'm not letting you out of my grasp.”

I trembled, but he leaned in closer, his breath brushing against my ear

“In all honesty, last night I was going to kill you.” he murmured and my blood turned cold.

I was frozen in terror as he leaned in closer, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"But then I thought that would be too quick. Too merciful. So I've decided you give you a second choice," he whispered.

"I'll torture you, make you beg for death. And maybe, just maybe when you admit it, I might give you a merciful death.”

“But until then cara,” he took steps back, and I was frozen in place as I watched him move towards the door.

“Welcome to your new hell."

The door slammed shut, leaving me alone in fear.