Requested by dominique_gvo

“Master!”

Demetri paused in the threshold of his room as a small girl rounded the corner. Against his will, his mind conjured up his first meeting with the eleven year old. She wore dirty rags, a fine layer of dirt masked her porcelain skin, and chestnut hair matted into tangles. She was thin, hollow cheeks indicating her lack of nourishment. Bruises littered her arms and legs, some fresh and purple in coloration and others the sickly tint of yellow and green of healing flesh. Her eyes would have been considered stunning when she got older, an aquamarine blue that rivaled the Mediterranean sea but held the shadows of an individual who had seen too much in one lifetime and a single healed bite mark on the side of her neck.

“Petal,” greeted Demetri.

Petal bowed, her hands folded in front of her and eyes casted down in submission.

Demetri removed his cloak and loafers, hanging his cloak on the coat rack and bent to retrieve his shoes. Petal was faster, snatching them away and placing them on the shoe rack. He straightened and came further into the room, slipping on his house shoes Petal had left out for him.

Demetri’s gaze drifted back to the young girl who made her way to the bar to prepare his nightly drink. Petal was the human servant of his creator, Amun. The masters had no qualms with Amun having a servant but he had tried to keep Aro away from his latest gifted creation, Benjamin. Amun was executed for his disobedience and by a law Aro had adopted from the Romanians, all of Amun’s property had become his first creations, aka Petal became the property of Demetri.

A lot had changed in the last ten months Petal had been in Demetri’s care. The tracker may have been known as heartless by the rest of his world but only those in the castle knew of Demetri’s fondness for children. Demetri made sure Petal was well cared for. She had her own room, although she was hardly ever there. She had plenty of clothes of the latest fashion. Ate three meals a day, and he kept a steady stream of snacks available to the girl in his quarters for whenever she felt peckish. She had gained weight, much to his delight and the bruises had healed seeing how Demetri never raised his hand to her nor his voice. She only had the skills of servitude so Demetri let her stay as a servant much to the girl’s delight. She still had the haunted look in her eyes but she was better off.

“Master Demetri,” Petal bowed her head and held out the serving tray with Demetri’s drink.

Demetri bit back his comment of not wanting her to address him as Master but refrained. The last time he had spoken on the subject, Petal had fallen to her knees begging for his forgiveness and accepting whatever punishment he chose to give her.

“Thank you.”

Petal nodded and headed off into Demetri’s room to his restroom, no doubt preparing his bath. Demetri sighed, once the girl left the sitting room and rubbed his neck. For over four thousand years Demetri had taken orders never given any unless it was training of newborns with Felix, yet, there he was trying to find ways not to hurt Petal’s feelings and make her feel important. He didn’t have to try much, she anticipated a majority of his needs and was a quick learner.

Demetri turned as Petal’s heartbeat let him know of her return. “Your bath is drawn and clothes laid out for your convenience, Master Demetri.”

Demetri downed his glass and set it on the coffee table. “Thanks kid.”

Petal gave a small smile and moved out of the way as Demetri came towards her. She rushed forward, opening the door to the bathroom for the tracker and bowed her head. Demetri walked inside and Petal closed the door behind him. The in floor pool was filled with steaming hot water, lavender bath oils gave the room scent and a sense of relaxation. He stripped and lowered himself into the water, his mind once again wandering to Petal and her servitude to him.

She didn’t listen to the masters nor guards, not even Benjamin could ask her for anything, only Demetri. He turned his head half-expecting the girl to materialize into the room and cater to any need she assumed Demetri needed in that moment. She was his shadow even if Demetri didn’t want to admit that.

After a while Demetri had drained the water, dried himself with a still warm towel, and dressed. His toothbrush already had toothpaste on it, waiting for his use. Demetri shook his head as he ran the bristles under the faucet in the sink and did his nightly routine. He cleaned the bathroom after himself, the knowledge of Petal would come in and clean the room once he was done.

He came out of the bathroom to see the girl waiting with his brush in hand and hair dryer plugged in. Demetri took his seat and swiftly Petal set to drying his hair. Demetri watched in the mirror brushed and dried his hair, keeping the setting on lower to not hurt his sensitive sense of hearing.

The dryer clicked off and she set the device down only to return to brushing the tracker's hair. Her hair was moved from her neck revealing the perfect bite of a vampire

“Petal?”

Instantly the girl stopped and came to Demetri’s side and got on her knees, looking up expectantly at her master. “How may I serve you, Master?”

Demetri fidgeted for a moment. “How did you get that bite?”

Petal looked down at her hands. “When I learned what Mast- Amun and Kebi were when I was younger I ran. I was only seven but I was scared. Amun caught me, he said he would give me a reason to be afraid before biting me…I decided that day not to give him or Kebi any reason to bite me again.”

Demetri sat in silence for a moment. “Do you think I would do that to you? Is that why you do everything for me?”

Petal looked up, tears in her eyes. “I know you will not hurt me Master Demetri…you are far kinder than Amun was, that is why I do more for you.”

Petal rose and went back to her task of brushing Demetri’s hair before bowing and saying her farewells for the night, leaving Demetri with some sense of guilt and pride.

At least he wasn’t a monster in one persons eyes.