I lay in my cage sleeping soundly when I was awoken by my owner kicking my cage.
"Wake up you little brat." He kicked my cage again and moved on to the next that was beside me.
I woke up and stretched not wanting to anger him again. He'd been very mad at me last night when I had knocked over my water and had beaten me. I reached up and touched my face feeling where it was swollen.
My owner walked back over to my cage and I moved to the back so I was pressed against the bars behind me.
"Stay there." He threatened and he unlocked my cage taking out the empty bowls and filling them. He put them back in my cage and I went to go near them when he raised his hand to hit me. "Did I say you could move?" He shouted and hit me hard across the face.
"God damn pets. No respect for their betters. I'll never understand why we keep these humans on." He grumbled to himself. It was no secret that he hated his job.
I moved back into the corner whining and hid my face. He was about to hit me again when the shop door opened and a customer walked in. I heard his throat growl and locked my cage again.
I watched him go to the front of the shop and I lay still hiding my face with my hands as I curled up small. I didn't dare move to eat my food in case he beat me again.
My owner was a pet store owner and I was one of his pets. Until I get brought I am considered his property. I've spent the last 6 years of my life in this cage, before that I was at the breeding grounds where I was bred, raised and trained in the art of being a human pet to the leaders of the world. The vampires.
I heard stories once about how humans used to be the superior species but I don't believe them. After all they are just myths. Everyone knows vampires have always ruled the world and the stories were made up by pets who rebelled against their Masters.
When my owner returned he was followed by a tall man with hair so blonde it almost looked white in the stores reflective lighting and he was dressed in a suit that looked like it was from a very expensive place. His dark glasses hid his eyes and he seemed to scan the area where us pets were being kept.
Most of the other pets started to either hide in fear or were curious and moved up to the bars only to move back again when the pet owner looked at them. Most of the pets here were young and new from the breeding grounds and seemed to forget their position.
I on the other hand just stayed still hoping he'd pass over me like all the other buyers, but to my disappointment he came over to my cage and bent down to look in at me.
I always hated how they would just sneer in at us. I usually pretended to be asleep so I wouldn't be noticed unfortunately my swollen eye made it hard to close.
"This one looks pretty beat up." The man said. His voice was low and it sent shivers up my back and made my arm hairs stand on end. "Based on what I can see I'd say it was recent. What punishment was given?"
I whimpered quietly to myself as the pet owner cleared his throat to answer "Well..." he started to say but was cut off.
"Not you." The man interrupted. "I was asking her. A pet that is able to admit their faults and accept punishment for it is a well trained one. You could tell me anything in order to make a sale but she has to answer honestly other wise it's back to the breeding grounds." A sinister smile crept over his face.
The thought of being sent back to the breeding grounds scared me even more than the look of fury on my owner's face from being cut off and the thought made me shrink back as far as I could in my cage and bury my head in my arms.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you pet." The man growled and I looked up to see his face frowning in anger at being ignored and I couldn't stop my lips from trembling. "Now I'm going to ask you again. What punishment did you get?" He clearly hated having to repeat himself and I knew I'd pay for it later.
"I needed to be put back in my place and Mr saw to it that I was. I deserved every hit Mr gave me Sir." I was so scared to speak that my voice felt trapped in my throat but I knew the man heard me.
"What did you do to make him have to punish you?" The man raised his brow. "Must have been bad to receive that many hits to the face." The man seemed to be enjoying this as he studied the bruises new and old that were visible.
"I was being greedy and knocked my water over when Mr came round to refill my bowl Sir." I choked out and I instinctively reached up to touch my face as the man stood up removing his glasses.
"She spilt her water and you thought the appropriate punishment was to punch her in the face. Bit over the top I was expecting to hear that she had bitten you based on the marks." The man stated and he folded up his glasses and put them in his pocket.
"Well I don't tolerate any kind of misbehaviour small or not." The pet owner answered clearly hating the man in front of him for questioning him in his store. "It was appropriate as she needed to be taught a lesson and I did just that."
"And what lesson was it that you taught her that required you to go over the top?" The man asked and looked down at me. His eyes were a vibrant blue and they seemed to see into my soul. I instantly looked down. I shouldn't have been looking as it was and now I'd made direct eye contact without permission.
"That she shouldn't waste what resourses I give her. She's lucky to have anything at all. She should be grateful to me for giving her food and water instead she was greedy and ended up wasting it. The water she spilt could have been put to better use instead I chose to gave it to her and she couldn't even wait long enough to thank me for it." He replied and I flinched at the tone of voice he was using.
I peeked up to see he had his hands clenched by his side and my movement caused him to look down at me and I lowered my head in submission from his gaze.
"I see. Well I'd like you to unlock her cage so I can get a better look at her. I need to do a damage assessment to see if she's worth buying. I'm not after a disobedient pet and need to see how many times she's been punished in the last few weeks. " The man said and folded his arms.
I knew my owner would be scowling at the man as he hated taking orders but I heard him come over to unlock my cage and I felt him grab me by my collar.
I stumbled a bit trying to move as he dragged me out and I fell face first causing Mr to yank me into a kneeling position in front of the man. "Stand up." Said the man and I obeyed quickly not wanting to annoy him anymore than I already have.
My legs shook as I hadn't stood up in days but I forced myself to stay in position. If I fell I would be considered weak and sent back to the breeding grounds. Pets too week to serve are used to breed the next line or sent to the culling chamber.
He started to circle me and I could tell he was assessing me. His gaze made me shiver and goosebumps appeared on my arms. By now all the other pets were watching curiously.
I could see Mr was getting impatient at how long it was taking for this man to make a sale. If I didn't get brought I knew I was in for a tough night for being the cause of wasted time. I was so focused on my thoughts I didn't hear the man ask a question to me at first.
"I said what is your name pet? I don't expect to have to ask twice" He had stopped in front of me and was frowning again.
"I'm sorry Sir. My name is Mia Sir." My voice shook as I stared at the floor.
"From now on you are to call me Master." He said to me and then turned to my owner. "Shes a lot of work and will need proper training to reach my standards but I'll buy her. Perhaps she'll learn quicker after she experiences my punishments."
My new Master took my leash off the hook nearby and clipped it to my collar. I was given this collar and leash the day I was brought here and this was the first time the leash was used. Years of not being used had made it very stiff and I could see the leather cracking as I was half dragged to the front of the shop where Master paid for me and brought a few other things. A thousand questions filled my mind.
Why me? Of all the pets in the shops why pick me? I'm nothing special and I tend to cause a lot of trouble. My heart started racing when I realized that I'd never have to come here again and that I was free of my owner and his punishments. Only now I had a new Master to worry about.
Was he going to be kind or was he going to be strict and horrible? Was what he did in the store how he really is or just an act? I'd heard stories of Masters pretending to be strict in public but were nice in private. Maybe my new Master was like that.
Once again I was distracted and didn't notice when Master headed for the door and pulled me with him. I noticed just before the end of the leash tugged and alerted my new Master that I wasn't following him. I quickly moved until I was behind Master and as we left the shop I realized that my life was about to change forever.
Whether or not it was going to be a good change or a bad change I didn't know but I was determined to not disappoint my new Master the way I did my old. New master, new me.
We stepped out of the store and I squinted in the bright light. The floor felt hot under my barefeet and I hurried to keep on pace with Master. The quick speed and nerves were making my heart beat fast.
My heart was beating so loud that I knew my new Master could hear it and I mentally scolded myself for it but the more I tried to slow it the faster it got. I could see a twitch in Master's jaw and I gulped feeling guilty that I was making him hungry from it.
"Don't worry my pet, I enjoy hearing your heartbeat. I'll drink from you when we get home. I don't like to drink in public. You are mine and mine only. I will not allow others to smell what is mine." Master glanced back at me and I quickly looked down at my bare feet and hurried forward not wanting to slack behind.
Soon enough we reached a car parked in the nearby car park. It was a dark blue car with dark tinted windows. In the front seat was a man in a suit who stepped out and held open the backdoor for Master. I gingerly followed Master in and onto the seat as the man shut the door and got back into the front and started up the car.
The car was quite wide almost like a limo with carpeted floor and plush seats. Master sat back in his seat and put one leg over the other and gave a tug on my leash.
"On the floor pet. Each owner has different rules for their pets and while some may allow pets on the furniture I do not." Master gave another tug and I quickly got onto the floor as the car pulled out and headed out of the city.
I sat nervously on my knees pulling at a loose thread on the dress I was wearing. It was standard clothing for pets to have.
Female pets had dresses that came just above the knee while male pets were only allowed shorts. This was so that buyers could get a good view of everything they would want to see before buying. Some pets were used as companionship, some blood bags and others were used purely for sport.
Sort is the worst kind of pet to be. Made to run while other vampires hunted you down for fun. Not many sport pets survived longer than a few days.
We were all trained at the breeding grounds in all 3 types so as to be able to please our owners. Luckily at the breeding grounds the vampires weren't allowed to finish the jobs while training us. We were just taught to run faster, swim and climb. Master mentioned drinking from me so I guess I'm a blood bag.
"I'm going to go over the rules with you and after each one you'll say 'Yes Master' so I know you are paying attention." Master said and I could feel his gaze on me.
"Yes Master." It came out as a croak so I cleared my throat and repeated it so he could hear it.
"Rule 1 you will never sit on any furniture that isn't designated to you unless told otherwise."
"Yes Master."
"Rule 2 you will not look at me directly without permission. You will keep your gaze either on the floor or at my feet."
"Yes Master." I responded and I made sure I was looking at his feet, or rather his foot as the other was on his knee.
"Rule 3 everything I tell you to do will be done without hesitation. If I tell you to get ready for me you will do so. You will be my companion and my blood bag. With the amount I paid for you I won't be wasting it on sport. Unless you turn out to be a disappointment. "
I gave my response and bit my lip a little. So I wasnt to be used for everything. This made me feel a bit better bit I was still terrified as I didn't want to do wrong and anger Master. If I couldn't do what was asked to his standards he would hunt me down and kill me on the spot.
"Finally rule 4 is the most important rule. You will not leave my quarters without me. I don't want to have to lock you up but if I catch you wandering around I will. I have very important business to do and I don't want to have to delay time punishing you because you've attempted to escape or someone else found you first. So under no circumstances must you leave the room." Master's voice got very dark and I gulped as I got my response out of my dry throat.
I didn't like the way Master mentioned other people finding me. I'd heard of pets trying to escape from their Master's and it doesn't end well for them at all. I would never escape Master.
I know that it would be pointless to even try. I don't know anywhere outside to run off to. My best chance of survival is to be with Master. Most pets don't live very long as it was as not a lot of people wanted companionship and to even think of escape is basically signing my own death warrant.
It wasn't long before the car turned and came to a stop. The driver opened Master's door and he stepped out and I scrambled to get out the car quickly and almost fell over. Master stood by the car and I noticed he was smirking slightly, at my almost tripping over, in the reflection of the car door as it was shut behind me.
Master turned on his heel towards the house. I didn't look up at it as we entered and I didn't look around either. I kept my head down and followed Master's shadow on the cherry cherrywood floor and up mahogany stairs.
I felt uncomfortable going across the polished floors and lush carpets in my bare feet. My previous owner would get the hose and spray each of us in the courtyard once a month when we got new clothing.
I panicked that I might have left dirty marks behind me and I stopped to look. As I did though the leash pulled hard as Master had continued to walk and I was pulled to the ground. I made a small noise as I hit the floor and suddenly Master's shoes were in front of my face.
I quickly stood up and lowered my head as far as I could in apology. "Why did you stop following me pet?" Master asked and there was a dark tone to his voice.
I cleared my throat to answer scared that it was too dry to speak. "I'm sorry Master I was checking to see if I had left any marks on your floor. I didn't want to make your house dirty." I answered quietly and felt my eyes burn with tears of fear that threatened to pour down my face.
I hadn't even been here 5 minutes and I had already disappointed my Master. Why couldn't I just do things right? Now I've made Master have to punish me on the first day and he'll think I'm unworthy to be his pet.
As if reading my thoughts Master took my chin gently and lifted it up until I was facing him but I kept my eyes lowered as best I could.
"Look at me pet." I looked into his eyes expecting to see anger but instead I saw amusement. "I am not going to punish you for thinking that you were making my floors dirty. Even if you did that wouldn't be any fault of your own as I haven't gotten you clean yet. If you were clean and made a mess then that's a different story."
I nodded a little as Master gave a slight chuckle. "Would you prefer it if I carried you the rest of the way instead?" Master asked amused. My eyes widened in shock and I quickly shook my head.
"No Master." I said quickly and realised how rude that sounded. "I wouldn't want to make you dirty thank you for the offer but I shall decline." I corrected politely.
Master chuckled and shook his head at my rushed answer before picking up my leash that had dropped to the floor and continued down the corridor.
I sped up behind him embarrassed at what happened and was glad when Master finally reached the end and stopped in front of a door.
He opened it and stepped to the side motioning me to go in first. This was it. The place I will be in for the rest of my life.