Chapter 9

Master is finally arranging for me to appear publicly again, I have a real concert next month but tonight, I go to the Cullens. I'm strangely drawn to them, to that boy with the lonely face. As I put on the revealing outfit Master has picked for me, I pick out some songs- the private concert will be aimed at Mr. Lonely. It may be an unnoticed gesture but I want to make him feel less alone and a few songs of mine have received feedback of doing just that. I'm not sure what to expect from a family of vampires but Master seems oblivious to it. I'm not sure he even knows what they are. I feel an odd excitement to see them, to leave this house for the first time in weeks.

I follow Masters every instruction as I enter the car, "sit up straight.", "Keep your knees together.", "Keep your sleeves down, no one needs to see those bruises.", "Smile pretty." The shirt he put me in reveals much of my breasts and my mid-drift. It has sleeves and covers the whole of my back. It was a strategic shirt, covering every little mark or bruise. I do as he says, afraid of his touch. He doesn't hold my arm anymore after some comments online about how creepy it looked. Thank god for them, I can't stand his touch but I don't feel strong enough to fight it. The car is silent as we ride to the Cullens address, I find myself more and more uneasy as we get closer. They live in the middle of nowhere it seems, deep in the forrest...just like where I'm being captive. Maybe Master does know them, maybe they are slavers and he's selling me. He has gotten a lot of money but he could make so much more with me rather than without. If I try to escape now he'll catch me...but is this my only chance? If it is then aren't I just doomed to fail? Was this, all my hope, just a cruel joke? I watch the opportunity pass and the house comes into view, it's beautiful structure is brimming with lights from within.This house holds a sort of freedom, a sort of warmth, enough so that my fear of them being slavers begins to falter and slip away.

Master knocks on the door, with me on his heels. I'm intensely curious about how the vampires live, what they chose for decoration, what drives them to stay here in society. The door opens about half a minute after the knock, very humanesque. If they were here for a trade or to buy me...there wouldn't be these little human pauses or the rise and fall on Dr. Cullen's shoulders as he invites us in- pretending to breathe. The inside is even more eloquent and beautiful. We walk into a house full of nicely dressed vampires, all smiling, all welcoming- even the women. They are not slaves. I can see it in the gleam of their golden eyes, they are genuinely happy together. Dr. Cullen and his wife who hangs back near the black piano, staring lovingly. A strikingly beautiful and admittedly intimidating blonde woman and a large grinning man stand together, her hand resting on his large shoulder. A man with intense eyes smiles down at a brown-haired mother holding the hand of a waist-high child to her face. And then there is him. Mr. Lonely standing near the couch, his hand resting on the edge. He looks at me with so much anticipation, like he's searching for something. I stare back. He is tall and well built, though thinner than the large burly man he has this aura of expertise and skill. A part of me finds him to be incredibly attractive, one might even say enticing. I find myself taking shallower breaths as I'm calmed, not worried about the circle of vampires, or even the man hovering in front of me like a ghost.

"We are so glad you could make it, please let me introduce my family. He gestures to them all individually, " my wife, Esme. Edward, Bella, and my granddaughter Renesmee. Emmett and Rosalie." He pauses for a moment before turning to Mr. Lonely, "And this is Jasper." I wait for my master to give any sign that I shouldn't speak but when he doesn't I say, "It's a pleasure to meet you all." As I say this I look at him, at Jasper. I am shocked to see him looking back at me with a beautiful and awkward smile.

"So should we get this show on the road?" Master claps his hands, taking us out of our silent moment. I clear my throat and smile. I don't want to mess up his time, I can't go through that pain again. I turn my eyes away from Jasper and as I do, this cold chill runs through me - as if I just put up a wall even his beautiful eyes can't get through.