The Change

Hannah had just finished showing me around and starting telling me what we were expected to do.

"We are expected to clean during the day and if any guests come over we are to serve them whatever they want. Then, at night we are to go around and clean up again and sometimes the guest or our masters will take someone to their bedrooms."

She didn't have to go into detail for me to know what went on in those rooms at night. I looked around at the room we were currently in, the dining room, which was on the first floor of the two story mansion. It had four entrances in. First entrance was, I think Hannah had called it, the arcade loggia, which was basically a hallway that had one side that had no doors or wall (aside from random columns holding up the ceiling) that over looked an out side area. The second one was in the other corner of the room, on the same wall as the door leading to the arcade loggia. It was basically a place for the pantry and silverware and cooking utensils, but it also led to our rooms. The third door, which was across the room from the pantry, led to the breakfast room, which speaks for itself. The fourth door was in between the pantry and breakfast room door and it led to a rotunda, or a circular like room.

The dining room itself had a long table, which was covered with a simple white table cloth. There were about twelve seats on each of the long sides and one chair on each of the short sides. There were more pictures of demons of all variety, most of which were Nightmares...or the type of demon Jackson was. Anyways the floor in here was the same wood it was in the hallway, but the tables and chairs sat upon a soft tan rug.

"Just stick with me for a few days and you'll know what to do."

I didn't plan on staying a few days, but I wasn't going to let anyone know that. I went about my business and cleaned the lower part of the house (apparently, the male servants were in charge of the second floor, and that was where their rooms were as well, right above ours).

Everything was pretty neat, Hannah showed me where all the cleaning supplies were, which we had to go back to our bathroom to get. I dusted anything I could, sweeped half of the down stairs and cleaned up all the maids rooms, which as I had suspected, were all the same. I was putting the finishing touches on the house when I realized that a) I hate cleaning, probably why I never cleaned at my house and b) I hadn't seen Jackson or any of the other demons all day.

That simple fact got me curious. I couldn't seem to focus on my work as soon as that thought fluttered into my mind. I was leaning on a broom in a library in thought.

The library was small, with bookshelves along the whole length of the circular wall that held both human and demon books. In the middle of the room was a desk with some books stacked on it along with some papers with notes written down on them.

I was so lost in thought I didn't hear the male who had entered the room until he had sat at the desk and let out a cough. I jumped and turned to face him, kicking myself inside my head for letting my guard down. The male looked at me with amused green eyes, which was odd for a demon to have, that was slightly covered by his blond hair that seemed to stick up everywhere, but at the same time seemed to be in a neat fashion. He had long limbs that seemed to be held in a graceful manner, which led me to assume he was tall like most demons. He had somewhat of a tan, which was unusual for demons even if it was slightly there.

"I do believe your job is to clean, not think."

I went to say some smart-ass remark back, but I bit my tongue and bowed my head slightly as I spoke.

"Sorry." I muttered as I continued to sweep the library, my thoughts still drifting back to Jackson. Why couldn't I get him, or what he had last said to me out of my mind. He didn't deserve for me to even think about him, but yet that's all I could seem to do. I couldn't focus on Alisha, or how bad Nikita was probably freaking out on the inside while trying to keep the group calm. They just keep floating back to my high school friend who had stepped off into the darkness. Again my thoughts caused me to not pay attention to what I was doing and I ddin't realize I was only sweeping in one spot for, about, the past five minutes.

I only realized this fact when the male behind the desk chuckled and I looked up to catch his amused eyes looking at me. What struck me as odd was two things, a) he hadn't threatened me or beat me and b) he was showing more emotion than an average demon would.

"You're not a demon."

I blurted out before I could bite my tongue. Shit. The male set the book he was just about to pick up back down on the desk, his eyes darkening as he eyes stayed focused on me.

"What?"

His voice came out with an undertone of anger mixed in with bitterness. He stood up from his chair and didn't move, but keep his eyes on me.

My gaze went down as quick as it could. I wasn't going to risk another run in like last night when I tried to escape.

"Nothing, sorry."

I don't know if he was so angry he couldn't move or if he was thinking of the perfect way to 'punish' me (as Hannah would say), but he didn't move. I slowly let my gaze move up, just in case he would yell at me or hurt me in some un-human way. When my gaze met his, he had that unusual amused look back in his eyes.

You know that awkward silence that's only awkward for one person? Well that's what fell over me. I didn't know what to do or say and I just kind of stared there awkwardly before stating to sweep agian. The male eventually left, chuckling as he did, while I glared at his back.

"What do you think you were doing?"

I was about to walk around the corner, from the library, into the ballroom, which contains nothing but a few tables and chairs and has a gold and white color scheme, when I heard Tasha's voice.

I stopped, right behind the open door and listened in on them. Tasha didn't sound happy and I was glad I wasn't the person on the other end of that conversation.

"What I was doing?"

It was the male from the library, the one who had acted so strange.

"Why is she not black and blue? She dropped the water on you!"

"Sorry, we're not all out to kill our servants like you, Tasha. What I do with my servants is none of your business."

"You're all going to soft, we aren't suppose to baby the servants! The Soul Keeper would be furious if he knew!"

"Like he would even grace our house with his greatness, he never leaves the Palace, you know that!"

The male said the first part of his sentence sarcastically, earning a 'humph' from Tasha. I heard a slight shuffling of feet and then Tasha's voice again.

"It's bad enough Jackson has taken to that other slave girl and now you've gone and taken to another one! What next?"

I could hear the sound of heels getting more distant as she stormed across the ballroom. I went to move so I could silently sneak across the library and exit through another door when the male spoke, still standing in the ballroom.

"It's not nice to listen in on peoples' conversations."

I didn't know what to do. He walked into the room and stopped when he was facing me. I let my grip tighten on the broomstick, my eyes watching the male cautiously.

"I'm sorry."

I hated having to act scared of these stupid demons, when I spent three years killing them, but I wasn't quite sure what powers they had. They never really got to use their all their different spells or illusions by the time The Order got a hold of them. I had to bit my lip and shove any smart remarks that could form during this conversation.

"You are very peculiar girl, you know that...You're not like most servants."

I looked at him, my eyes trying not to show the annoyance I was starting to feel. All this guy could do was make me mad, whether it was because he was just a demon or he just said things to me that I didn't want to hear wasn't even clear to me. Could you hate someone for no reason?

"Care to explain more?"

"That sentence is missing a word, more of a title."

I let my lips form into a frown, my eyes narrowing in anger as a smart remark left my mouth before I could even realize what I had said.

"Loser?"

I felt his hand tighten around my neck and I, instinctively, dropped the broom and moved my arm to punch him, but his other hand was quick enough to grab both my arms and hold them down in between us.

That amused look came back to his eyes as his grip on my neck loosened slightly.

"Scared you didn't I?"

He sat me down and I let my eyes narrow in on him in anger.

"Stop messing with me!"

"I know who you are and what you want."

"Amber Night, leader of the The Order, one of the small groups working under The Change. What you want is complicated and can never be reached, though you don't see it, you want to help the demons."

"Help them? I want all of your kind dead."

"Or do you? Everyone wants power, some are just stronger than others when it comes to temptation."

"I don't want power, I want peace."

"Peace? You can achive that with power."

"Peace for everyone not just myself."

"If I told you I knew how to make that happen, would you believe me?"

"Not if my life depended on it."

I went to walk away, my thoughts racing as I almost reaching the door when I heard movement from behind. I grabbed a book off the nearest shelf and threw it at the male before storming out the library, through the ballroom and into the dining room. My thoughts were focused on that male. How did he know me? What was he trying to do? Was he just messing with my mind? What should I do?

With in the next three weeks, could have been more because I had lost count, I had fell into the regular routine of cleaning the lower part of the mansion with the other maids, and learned that we weren't aloud on the second floor unless there was a demon with us. The male servants, also known as the butlers, were allowed down on the lower floor only when they had to serve dinner.

The mysterious male never revealed his name to me and I didn't push the matter with Hannah, who thought I was going to get myself killed poking my nose where it didn't belong.

There was no sign of Alisha here and I had to get out, but how to accomplish that? None of the maids would help me, Jackson would throw me in a room and say it's for my 'protection'. So, that leaves....no one? If I told you I knew how to make that happen, would you believe me? Could I trust him? He was a demon, after all, and no good could come from trusting a demon.

"You, servant girl."

A voice broke my thoughts. I turned to see a male in his late 30's, maybe early 40's, looking at me through the red and black eyes. I was starting to notice something: This was the first demon I seen that was older than about 25 in this house. He had on a black, three piece suite and his short black hair was slick backed.

"Yes?"

My lips set into a firm line as the male looked me over with hungry eyes.

"Yes?"

I repeated myself again and he finally answered, his eyes still looking me over.

"I need to speak with Ms. Vega."

I had to think that over for a minute before I answered him.

"Mistress Tasha?"

I hated that more than anything! Mistress, humph, she didn't have power over anything!

"I'll go get her."

I gave a slight curtsy and walked out of the room to find Tasha. I eventually found her and she fussed over the fact I hadn't offered to get him a drink before going off to greet him.

"God, I swear."

"Amber, there you are!"

Hannah's voice rang out from behind me as I turned to see her hair all tangled and she wrecked of bleach and other cleaning supplies.

"Yes, here I am and, what do you know, there you are. What do you need?"

"I've overheard Master Jackson arguing with some other demons, I thought you should know...That they are going to sell you to some 'trainer'. They say you're not servant material and they have to...."

"Hire someone to beat me?"

"I'm sorry, Amber."

"It's not your fault."

Turns out, the guy who had asked for the Royal Bitch had been who was going to buy me. I had to sit in a room while demons and other maids pointed out most of my flaws. Apparently I didn't listen, clean right, back talked, and refused to please the men how they seen fit. All of which, was true.

"And, she is hard headed, just like that other girl?"

"Yes."

Other girl? That could have been Alisha! How did I press this matter more? Ask Jackson? No, I wasn't going to get any help from him. Hannah? She probably wouldn't know and would to afraid to talk to me after this. Tasha was definitely out of the question. So, again, that left the mysterious male. He would help me or laugh at me. I guess I could try him, or one of the other maids who still had some spirit left.

"What will you pay me to take her on my hands."

"Name your price."

Great, let's see how much I'm worth. I glanced at Tasha, my eyes narrowed as I did. I could just image killing her. A bullet through the heart? A knife to the neck? A pill in her drink? All the possibilities and just me to make them happen. Ha, that would be fun.

"Ten-thousand dollars."

Tasha glanced at me and I let a barley noticeable smirk before speaking. Tasha might as well get her money's worth.

"What's wrong, I'm I not worth that much? I see, you'll spend millions on your little boy toys, but you won't spend any on me."

"Why you! Deal!"

She turned from me to the man and started working out issues and other things. I rolled my eyes and went deep into thought. I tried my hardest to be a good servant, but at times I just sort of slipped and the words 'bitch' came up a lot. I felt someone pull me up roughly from my seat, breaking my thoughts.

"C'mon missey, your coming to live with me."

I let my eyes narrow in on Jackson as I let one of the most hurtful things I could say to him slip past my lips.

"You must be happy, I'm going to die."

Man did I wish I had died instead of having to go through what Mr. Fat Pedophile put me through. I could barley say no without getting a broken arm or a black eye. My body constantly felt like it was falling apart, though he still didn't get me in bed. I dealt with beating after beating when I refused him and felt like I was going to die. My body was always in pain and I could barley get any task done, and worst of all, I hadn't seen one sign of Alisha. I wandered through the hallways at night, looking for her, but it was a fool's mission.

My hope shattered and I fell into the life of a servant. I let myself forget anything about my friends and my determination just faded into nothing. Amber Night was no more, instead, 'Servant Girl' was created in her place.