Chapter Twenty

I woke up this morning it’s the same routine. Darren walks into my cell undoes the chain we walk out of my cell and to the bathroom. The same thing that’s been happening for a week. I know it’s a week because in the kitchen the girls have to keep track of the days, weeks, months, and years for meals and stuff.

Thankfully, being here hasn’t been all that bad. I’ve become great friends with Esme who was known as Green eyes, Millie who was known as Blue eyes, Karsyn who was known as Redhead, Lea the older woman, and the only one who I’m not close to is Hanna who was known as Blondie.

“Ready for another amazing fantastic day of work?” Esme asks annoyed when she stops by my cubby fully dressed. I chuckle at her comment. Over the week I’ve learned that Esme is very sarcastic. “Oh, it isn’t that bad” Millie shouts over the loud noise in the bathroom from her cubby.

Esme shakes her head and walks away. Millie is the type of person everyone needs. She looks for the bright side in every situation. If any of us are down she’ll find a way to cheer us up. Karsyn walks up to me and wraps her arm around my shoulder. “Ready for hell?” She asks. I nod my head and walk out of the bathroom with her.

Karsyn is a cold-hearted badass. She’ll tell you what’s up without feeling a single thing. She will not lie or sugar coat anything and it’s made me face the cold hard truth sometimes the past week but it’s been a huge eye-opener.

We walk past Darren and head for the kitchen. He still follows me to and from the kitchen but I no longer have to walk with that stupid chain. I’m also starting to memorize the maze to the kitchen and thankfully I’m not getting very dizzy while walking up and down the spiral staircase.

I do have to admit that this week hasn’t been nearly as terrible as I thought it would and to be honest, I haven’t thought of Sawyer as much. “After dinner, I’ll come to grab you because King Dante wants to speak to you,” Darren tells me before I walk into the kitchen. “Ooo I wonder what the Vampire King wants with you,” Karsyn says as she winks at me.

I roll my eyes and walk over to the aprons. “What’s going on?” Esme asks walking into the kitchen right after us with Millie, Lea, and Hanna. “Oh, nothing just that the Vampire King himself requested to see Miss. Amber here to see him in his office after dinner” Karsyn says while turning the ovens on.

“I thought she’s mates with the Werewolf King,” Millie says confused. Oh Millie she’s the slow one in the group. “She is Hunny. The Vampire King took Amber to make the Werewolf King go crazy sweetheart” Karsyn tells Millie. “Ooh,” Millie says and goes back to chopping up fruit. I shake my head with a smile on my face. Millie is the type of girl you want to protect with everything in you.

“Slut” Hanna coughs under her breath as she washes her hands. I ignore her. Hanna likes to sneak rude remarks into conversations. Today the girls are making omelets with a fruit salad. Lea is the one who doesn’t talk much.

It broke my heart when I learned about Lea. She’s in her late 70s and the last one of her friend group that’s still alive. When she was bought she and 4 other girls her age were signed kitchen duty. 5 years ago is when they started dying from old age or natural causes. Normally the ones who work in the kitchen get the least amount of punishments unless you are very late for a meal or didn’t pay attention to the recipe.

Two weeks before I arrived the last original girl from the kitchen passed away and that’s who I replaced. Lea has barely talked since. “Amber your good to clean here. Don’t put anything away I’m still working at the station” Esme tells me.

I walk over to her station and grab the bowl filled with empty eggshells. I walk over to the trash and dump them out. I then clean the counter from the egg slime. Once I’m done I go over to Hanna’s station that she’s now done with and clean the fruit mess.

Hanna likes to make her messes even bigger for me so if we’re not on time or are late for the cleaning inspection that we have after every meal she can blame me. It’s already happened once. But since I’m either new or King Dante’s mate I got off with a warning. Hanna was not happy. “When you’re done with her station I’m finished” I hear Lea call. That’s the only time she ever talks is to let me know her station is ready for a cleaning.

The rest of breakfast was uneventful. The girls would throw jokes about me seeing the Vampire King but nothing harmful was said. After the food was made the servers walks in and takes the trays. I of course keep cleaning. They start first and end first while I start last and finish last. “Anything sounds good for breakfast?” Esme asks.

“I’m up for anything,” I tell her. “How about omelets? We already have the supplies out” Karsyn says. “What does everyone want on theirs?” Esme asks while turning the stoves back on. “Cheese and turkey for me,” I tell her. “Are you sure you should be eating? I’m pretty sure when your mate finds you he won’t want a fatty. He’ll go for someone slimmer” Hanna says while flipping her hair.

I shake my head and ignore her. I can promise you I have not gained an ounce since I got here. If anything I’ve lost weight. I’m not eating nearly as much as I did when I was with the council and Sawyer loved my body. Werewolves don’t like skinny girls they prefer girls who have curves and something they can grab onto. They don’t want a twig.

“Actually Hanna you are wrong,” I tell her. The girls freeze when I talk back to Hanna. Normally I ignore her and brush her words off but this time I can’t keep quiet. “And how is that?” Hanna throws attitude.

“Male wolves prefer their mates with curvy bodies. They like a thick girl. Male wolves are not gentle and if they have a thin mate they will be too afraid to touch her. They like something to grab and hold.” I explain to her. Hanna rolls her eyes and goes back to whatever the hell she was doing earlier.

Esme and Karsyn go ahead and cook omelets with everyone’s desired meats and veggies while I continue cleaning the counters. “We’re sorry that you have more to clean,” Esme tells me when they are finished with cooking. I walk over to the stove and counter they used. I shrug my shoulders “don’t worry about it. I’ve grown to enjoy cleaning” I tell her.

The girls grab plates and eat their meal. “Amber take a break and come eat your meal while it’s hot,” Millie tells me. “I’ll eat when I’m finished. I’d like to sit and eat and not worry about cleaning” I tell her. Millie nods and goes back to eating. The morning went on with nothing much happening. The servers bring back the plates from breakfast and leaves. Thankfully, I finished the stove and ate half my omelet. I stand up throw the rest of my food away and start cleaning the dishes.

The inspector comes in 10 minutes after each meal and I enjoy having everything cleaned and put away before he comes in. “Amber do you need any help? You don’t seem like yourself this morning.” Millie asks. I shake my head “no I’m fine” I tell her. I feel bad lying to them but Millie is right. This whole going to King Dante’s office tonight is really bothering me.

I don’t know what he’s going to talk to me about. It could be anywhere from I’m going back to the council to Sawyer is no longer looking for me. He hasn’t been here at all since my first day, and the reason I know that is because I haven’t stayed in my cell unless it’s at night.

Right as I finish wiping the water off the counter the door opens. I turn around expecting to see the inspector but instead I find Darren. “The King said it can’t wait for tonight. Come with me” he tells me. I nod and follow him to the door but I don’t make it very far because 3 girls pull me into a hug. “Guy’s I’ll be back soon,” I tell them.

“Just in case,” Millie tells me as she hugs me tighter. “Okay I can’t breath” I weez. The girls let go and apologize. I wave goodbye and leave the kitchen following Darren. I’ve never been to King Dante’s office besides the first official time I met him. Now that I’m thinking about this it explains why I didn’t see any maids while I was here with Walter. I thought it was kind of weird but now that I’m here it all makes scene.

Just like the rest of the hidden hallways, it was a maze that I would never memorize unless I walk this way every day. Finally, after many hallways and another spiral staircase, we walk out to the main hallway and stop in front of none other than King Dante’s office.

Darren knocks on the door a couple of seconds of waiting we hear a come in. Darren opens the big double doors and walks inside with me following close behind. “Thank you, Darren you can leave,” King Dante tells him. Darren bows his head and leaves closing the doors behind me.

I look around the room and notice the lady and the two boys here. I look at them confused. Why are they here? “Amber take a seat. We have a lot to talk about” the King tells me. I nod and sit down on the only chair in front of his desk. “There are things you and the public don’t know about. I do plan to keep it that way. But when you become the ideal mate and go back to the council I’ll be chosen as your mate. You’ll be coming back and I want you to already know how things run around here” he starts.

“ Vanessa here is not help around the castle. It angers me even calling her that” King Dante tells me. Vanessa smiles and walks over to the King she sits down on the arm of his chair. “I don’t like the idea of having someone choose my mate for me so I went ahead and did that. Vanessa is my wife. I married her not long after I met her and these are our kids Seth is our oldest and Nicholas is our youngest” King Dante explains.

I sit there in shock. What the actual fuck did he just say? “No one knows and no one will ever know. Again it pains me to say that about my wife and children but if anyone does find out then they could be taken away from me by the council. There’s also a possibility that my crown that my grandfather worked so hard to get the vampires and I will be taken. won’t let that happen.” He further explains.

What the hell is going on here? This is something I didn’t even think would happen. “When the council picks me it’ll be out there that you are my mate. To the public, we’ll appear as the perfect couple but behind closed doors, I want nothing to do with you besides be my personal maid. We will never have children together.

Vanessa and I are already planning on having a third child together. To the public that’ll be our child. You’ll be moved from the kitchen to being a Nanny. You’ll watch my kids from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. Your new job until you are sent back to the council will be working in the kitchen from lunch to dinner.

In the morning you’ll be with Vanessa. She’ll train you how to be the perfect mate to the public and how to be the perfect personal slave behind closed doors. Training will begin tomorrow. You can go back to your job” King Dante tells me. “If you tell anyone about our secret I will kill you and I’ll make sure no one remembers you” King Dante hisses at me.

He calls for my guard. The door opens and Darren walks in. “Bring her back to the kitchen,” the King tells him. Darren nods I stand up from the chair and leave with Darren behind me.