"What are you trying to imply, Grace?" asked Lady Maggie with furrowed brows.

Grace smiled, "Come on, I am sure no one is blind here like a wall. Brother dear is so attached to the girl and who pays five thousand f.u.c.k.i.n.g gold coins to buy a meager slave. I wouldn't even buy a pair of shoes for that amount," that was because even you know you don't deserve it, said Penny in her mind.

"Language, Grace," her mother warned.

"Sorry, mother. If you think about it carefully she can be a witch who is trying to poison us," Grace continued with her speech which turned Penny's hands cold suddenly. Like a hammer hit perfectly on a nail where Grace's words were half true and the other being absurd, Penny tried to calm her nerves and she put her acting skills back in track again which had slipped down her face after Lady Maggie's arrival in the kitchen room. 

Lady Maggie, as well as her own mother who looked at Penny, gave an unamused expression, "Don't you think you're taking it a little too far, Gracie," Lady Maggie responded back to her sister who chuckled. 

Walking back to her mother's side, Grace stated, "It might sound ridiculous but it is true and I know that. Why do you think that man whoever brother Damien killed had the exact similar dress what she wore yesterday? Don't you think it is odd?" this was something none had an answer for, "How can you tell that this slave standing here hasn't done something to him? We were even attacked, about to be killed. Doesn't it worry you? That this girl has come with the same intention to kill us all."

Lady Fleurence sighed with her daughter's over thought process which looked silly to her, "Let us not deter from what had happened. Grace, she is not a witch-"

"But mother-" Grace started to only have her mother glare down at her which had her lips closed. 

"If she was Damien would have known about it and he knows better to not raise a witch in the house with the line of work he does," said the older vampiress. Her eyes searching for something in the kitchen and she said, "She has committed a mistake of touching the food which is for the family. You are lucky," said the woman to Penny making her raise her head up to look at her, "If you weren't the slave of Damien and one of ours, you would be hanging now at one of the trees outside while setting up yourself as an example to the others to know what to do and be careful.

Letting you off won't teach you anything for the future," hearing this both Lady Maggie and Penny appeared to look worried. 

Penny didn't know what kind of lesson Lady Fleurance was planning to give her. The Quinn's had the strangest punishments. 

"Weren't you telling that you were hungry. We will make sure you have enough food that will fill up your stomach right up. You won't even think about food for days after that," Lady Fleurance smiled as excitement began to bounce on Grace's face. She walked to one of the brown pots where water surrounded at the bottom of it. 

Picking up an empty gla.s.s, she started to pour something into it. It was dark thick blood that was being poured in the gla.s.s which made Penny feel nauseous. 

"She's human. She won't be able to digest it," Lady Maggie came to the rescue again. 

The older vampiress turned to look at her step-daughter over her shoulder, "You know, Maggie. You should live up to your mother's dreams and expectations. She would be very very disappointed to know that she had a weak daughter who didn't know how to punish a slave who was out of line," the woman gave her a warm smile which felt nothing like it. 

Penny who was standing idle in one place turned her eyes to see the look of Lady Maggie who appeared to be caught off guard by the mention of her mother. She had heard a few things from Damien and by the standpoint view of a human, Penny didn't count the late lady to be an ideal mother because of the encouraging words she gave when it came to killing people with the lack of remorse. At the same thought, a dull smile came to form on her lips which was hidden by the shadow of the room. Her mother wasn't an ideal mother either, to fake her death and to never contact her back without a sign. 

Fleurance walked towards the wooden table, placing the gla.s.s on it instead of giving it by hand to the human girl who was going to be punished. 

"Drink this," she ordered while taking a step away from the table as if standing too close near the servant would be too low for her. 

Penny felt like it was Deja Vu. This had happened before too but it had been on a lighter context where she had thought she could escape from it. In the end, it was Damien who came to rescue her from his crazy family. 

But Damien wasn't here today. She felt as if internally in her mind she was crying like a river while outwardly she stood staring at the gla.s.s that was placed on the table. 

"Don't make us wait. Hurry up and drink," Grace's voice was eager as she spoke.

Knowing there was no wait out of this, her hand went to reach the gla.s.s and she picked it up. It wasn't that she hadn't tasted blood before but it was by biting her cheek or tongue. Never in large quant.i.ties like this. She could feel three pairs of eyes looking at her which made it difficult to move. 

"If you cannot drink we can make you drink," Grace chimed, happy to take that route if needed. 

With a deep breath, Penny raised the gla.s.s to her lips which she tried to prolong while looking at the liquid in it and finally placing the edge of the gla.s.s on her mouth...