Chapter 23 Questioning the question

She made sure to keep a good distance between her and Damien as the carriage rode on the muddy road. Penny even though so desperately wanted to get back to the life she once had, she didn't know if she really had a life there. She couldn't help but think that of what the woman in the cell had told her.

As much as she wanted to believe that her relatives hadn't passed her to the slave establishment, in time it seemed to be the only logical reason she could come up with. The day and the time were too coincidental for it to fall in place before she was taken away. The question was if she was sold by them, where was she supposed to go? She had no friends, she did know some of them where she lived but she doubted if any would give her a roof where she could stay.

She had nowhere to go and the more she thought about it, the more depressed she got, sulking quietly by herself in the corner that the vampire sitting with her didn't notice.

Was it to better stay here? No, she said to herself. She didn't belong in this world and it was as if fate had forcibly twisted around to push her here. To live as a slave wasn't definitely what she was looking forward to but there was something that bothered her since they had left the mansion.

If Damien was going to humor the lady, gift her and drink blood. What was the point of her bringing along with him? Was he going to drag her everywhere like a toy everywhere he went? Thinking about it, she slumped further into the seat to hear Damien say,

"What are you doing? Trying to be one with the seat? There are other things you can be one with," he suggested being cheeky himself and she pursed her lips. Deciding to be the bigger and mature person here, Penny didn't let him delve into his words further as she refused to comment on it, "You are no fun if you're going to sit this quietly. What happened to the feisty little mouse?" Damien then did something very unexpected by bringing up his hand and poking her cheeks with his finger.

"What are you doing?" Penny couldn't help herself from going to swat his hand which in turn caught her wrist like it was waiting for it to come near. A grin up his lips as he looked at her.

Damien retrieved his hand to say,"Tell me something about your family."

"I thought you already knew about it?"

"What gives way?" he asked her. Penny had come to notice the way he questioned her question with his own one.

"The theater," she replied for him to nod this head. Clutching her hand over the seat, she asked him, "Did you see me act in the theater, master Damien?" it was another thing that had been bothering her. For him to know something she hadn't given out information on was unnerving. It made her think about what else he knew about her.

"What would say if I said yes?"

"Why do you ask a question after my question?"

"Have you forgotten who is the master here, little mouse?"

"I didn't," she said, taking a deep subtle breath and letting out.

"Are you infuriated?" she heard Damien ask, turning her face she saw him offer her a smile. It was a smile mixed with amus.e.m.e.nt and delight with a hint of mischief. Were all vampires like this? Having not mingled with the night creatures she didn't know if the vampires were starkly different compared to the humans which they were.

But then Penny realized something. He hadn't smiled like this with Lady Ursula. He had been polite but there was a sort of hostility which she noticed. She didn't know him well but that didn't mean she was blind to not notice his lack of sympathy to the young lady of the mansion when her dress had torn. Thanks to her, she thought dryly to herself.

She pursed her lips, not wanting to keep crossing the boundaries as he was unknown territory to step into.

"Don't sulk, mouse. No, I haven't seen you act in the theater," he answered her previous question, "I have a place to go visit."

When the carriage did stop, Damien stepped out on the muddy ground which was wet and some patches of water that covered around the land, "Stay here," he gave her a pointed look when he saw her back straighten as if knowing what was going on in that human brain of hers.

Penny did what as he said because as she thought, this wasn't the time to leave. When the time was right, she would then leave where he wouldn't be able to catch her. Until then she would stick to his side and gain enough trust.

When the carriage's door closed, Penny leaned forward to peep out of the window. She saw Damien's back as he walked away from where she was.

A large cemetery stood in the front where the carriage had stopped with large black gates that looked rusty and old as if it were built centuries ago. The gates continued with walls of medium height, two devils looking like minions that were built at the top.

She wondered if he had come to visit his mother. What kind of person was she? Though she had concentrated mostly on her food in the dining room and the coldness below her body from where she had been sitting, she had noticed the awkward atmosphere between the family members.

It was evident that the mother and daughter duo were rude but Damien was no less