Yes, Mistress ?

Only Human

I wake up on a solid wooden table. I groggily open my eyes and wince as a bright light pierces through my vision. I look around, the walls are cold and stone. There are cooking utensils decorating them, a big stove and big books.

"Aaaand she's awake!" I hear a cheery voice declare. The sound hurts my sensitive ears and head, I wince again.

"So, you're Momsen's newest, eh?" She says, kind of sympathetically. She looks a few years older than me, with brown hair and a nose stud. I squint at her and nod slowly.

"Sorry, kid, she's not the easiest to deal with. Take it from me, I've worked here for years, cooking her shit she doesn't eat!"

"Why does she make you cook things if she doesn't eat it? What's the point in that?" I ask, confused. She shrugs.

"Occasionally, other humans come round, for 'business'." She makes quotation marks in the air. "Everything has to look as authentic as possible, until the last minute. Also, she just likes it for decoration. Makes the place more... 'Homely', though I don't see how."

"Right..."

"Oh, my name's Jaq. What's yours?"

"Lacey."

"Nice to meet ya, Lacey."

"You too."

I hear the big wooden doors in front of us make a heavy groaning sound. The echoing click of stiletto heels of the stone floors come first, then a long, skinny body with blonde hair and dark eye make up. She puts her hands on her skinny hips.

"So. You're alive." She smirks.

"Unfortunately." I mutter. She raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.

"Anyway. It's a new day." She throws a scrunched up ball of paper at my face. "There's your chores. Do them." She begins to walk away. I rub my temple in annoyance.

"Oh, and Lacey?"

I look up.

"No sleeping on the job this time. You know the consequences, don't push me." She grins, and walks away. I sigh and drop my head into my hands.

"I haven't even been here a day, but I honestly don't know how long I can take this. How did you survive?" I mutter. I feel Jaq rub my back soothingly, it felt nice.

"In all honesty, I have no clue." She chuckles. I smile a bit. "I guess you just don't let her get to you. She's a cold, cold woman who doesn't care for anyone apart from herself, but that's just something you have to accept. We're only human; we bleed when we fall down, and we crash and we break down. That's just life, I'm afraid."

I nodded, and lifted my head up from my hands. "Thanks Jaq. I guess I should be getting on with my chores then."

"Take care of yourself, and come see me before you go to bed, kid." She smiles.

"I will." I smile back, and leave.

~timeskip, bc I'm a lazy fuckkk~

I finish my chores around 7pm, absolutely exhausted. I begin to trudge up to my bedroom, but remember what Jaq said about seeing her beforehand and stumble in the first their direction. The heavy door groans open and she looks over to see who it is, smiling when she sees me.

"Hey kid! How's it going ?" She greets me.

"Okay, thanks." I yawn. My stomach grumbles, I hadn't eaten all day.

"Hungry ?" Jaq chuckles. I nod, smiling. "Well, sit there missy and I'll getcha something. Burritos sound good ?"

"Yes, please."

"No problem, Lace." She turns around and begins making the food. I spy a CD player in the corner, so I wonder over and press play on whatever's inside. I recognise the song as Sinematic by Motionless In White

"Is this yours ?" I ask Jaq, holding up the cd case.

She shakes her head. "No, it's Taylor's."

"Really ? I never knew she was into good music."

Jaq chuckles. "Motionless In White is her brother's band. Chris Cerulli."

I gasp. "Wait, does that mean... "

"Yes, Chris is a vampire. He's the only one in the band, but they all know."

I think hard for a moment. "Taylor said Chris had a wife .. Is she a vampire too ?"

Jaq nods. "Yep, but she's one of the nicest people you'll meet around here. Chris and Connie visit quite often, they all like playing music together. If they didn't reek of blood it would actually be quite a nice environment to be in, but the music they play is amazing." She smiles in remembrance. I smile too, thinking about it.

The cooker goes off and soon enough the kitchen is filled with spicy aroma of Mexican. Jaq hands me a plate and I devour the whole thing.

"Woah, someone must've been hungry." She smiles. I nod guiltily. I wait til she's finished here before announcing my departure.

"I'm gonna head up to bed now. Thankyou so much for the food, it was delicious."

Jaq grins. "No problem sweetie. See you tomorrow."

"Bye." I pull open the ancient doors and make my way to the top of the castle. Once in my bedroom I pull on batman pyjama bottoms and a black tank top. I look around my room and find a small, plain guitar in the corner. I smile and pick it up, strumming a few chords. I think about what Jaq said, and sing:

"I'm only human,
And bleed when I fall down.
I'm only human,
And I crash and I break down.
Your words in my head are knives in my heart.
You build me up and then I fall apart 'cause I'm only human."

I smile, writing down what I played and sang, turning my light off and curling up in a ball in my bed, waiting for sleep to take over.

~Taylor's POV~

I sit in my armchair in my room, my legs dangling over the sides, humming to myself. Today's been boring. I was waiting for Lacey to slip up and amuse me but no, she has to do everything perfectly. Ugh.

Soon, I hear something that overpowers my humming. I listen closely. Huh, the rat has musical talent. Not bad.

I wait til I hear nothing coming from upstairs, and slowly creep up there, making sure not to make a sound. I slowly push her door open, she was flat out asleep. I smile to myself before closing the door. There's something about her.