“I come from the north. My village is on the other side of the mountain, but I had to move here when my father died. My uncle, Father Michael, is my only relative now, and he told me about Count D’Argyle. I can’t expect my uncle to feed me and care for me when his own daughter has just found a job at the mansion.”
“Hmm…”
The demoness didn’t seem convinced. She cocked her perfectly shaped eyebrow, an invitation for Sophie to continue. If she wanted Berith to believe her, the cambion had to up her game.
“Please, Miss. I’m used to working hard. I can work in the kitchen, or I can clean… I can do anything, really. You can even send me to work at the stables. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty to earn my keep.”
“Oh, the Count would never send you to the stables or the kitchen if you were to work for him.” Berith gave Sophie a cold smile. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the girl or didn’t find her appropriate for her master’s needs. In fact, the demoness couldn’t take her eyes off Sophie’s pretty face and full frame. Casimir would definitely like this voluptuous beauty. She was full of youth and fresh energy any demon would have loved to feast on. What unsettled Berith was the incredible contrast between the girl’s soft, clear skin and elegant posture and the rags she was wearing. Yes, she was dressed as a peasant girl, but she didn’t look like one. Girls around these parts had rough hands from working the land, and dark skin from staying too much in the sun.
“He wouldn’t?” Sophie’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “I… I can also help lay the table and serve the guests. I know how to do that too.”
“Why do you want this job so badly?”
“Uncle told me that after the Spring Celebration, Count D’Argyle decides to keep some of the best servants at his mansion, while he helps the rest get good jobs in the city. You see…” Sophie looked at her hands, trying to give the impression that what she was about to say was big and important to her. Like a dream which sounded too far-fetched to ever become reality. “I don’t want to live here for the rest of my life. When father died, he didn’t leave me any money. If I could, I would have taken the first train to the city, rented a room, and started looking for a job. Any job. Count Casimir D’Argyle is my last option.” She lifted her eyes and gave Berith the most innocent look she could muster. “Please, Miss, give me a chance. I promise you the Count will not be disappointed.”
Berith tapped the wooden table with the tips of her fingers. Casimir would love Sophie. She was more than perfect. She was a tasty treat the Count could hardly find among the young men and women in these godforsaken villages. Ambitious, determined, eager to please… She wanted more from life, and that gave her aura a delicious flavor. The demoness could feel it herself. Yes, the Count would love to consume this human’s energy. He would take his time too. Then why did she still hesitate? There was no way this pretty girl knew anything about her master and what the Spring C
elebration he held at his mansion truly was. No one did. They had always been very careful. That was why the Count rarely got to enjoy the curvy, soft human women he loved so much. Hiding from the Pantheon of the Alluring ones wasn’t easy, so he couldn’t be picky.
Sophie squirmed in her seat. Why was it taking Berith so long to make a decision? Had she given herself away? She hoped her story had been convincing, because if the demoness said “no”, then her chance was lost. Begging would have made her even more suspicious.
Berith’s fingers stopped tapping the table and reached for the pen. “Sophie, I think you’re perfect for the job.”
The cambion’s face lit up. “I am?”
“Yes.” The demoness wrote down something Sophie couldn’t read from across the table. “In fact, you’re starting tomorrow. Please be at the mansion before 8 AM. Don’t take too many personal belongings with you, as you will have no use for them. We will provide you with everything you need, especially clothes.” The woman shot a displeased glance at Sophie’s horrible dress, and Sophie made sure to blush in embarrassment.
“Thank you, Miss. Thank you so much. You will not regret this.”
Berith gave her a wide, satisfied smile. “I’m sure I won’t.”
?
Count Casimir D’Argyle’s mansion was one impressive building. It wasn’t just the Victorian architecture, which showed the demon had traveled the world and lived in times and places Sophie could only speculate on, but it was also the landscape. The mansion, with its two wings and the guest house, were tucked high up in the mountains, guarded by an elaborate main gate made of ornate ironwork. The cobblestone alley was lined with beds of flowers, and Sophie couldn’t help but stop half-way between the main gate and the mansion to admire her surroundings. Behind the building, the mountain shot up to the sky. The dark, dense forest covering it sent shivers down her spine. One could easily get lost in these woods and no one would even dare to go look for them.
It was early morning, and the mansion seemed asleep. The windows were closed and the curtains were drawn, which made the building look like a huge creature waiting for the right time to stir back to life. Sophie knew demons didn’t actually need sleep, not even when they were in their human form, so she wondered why everything was so silent. She took a deep breath and continued on her way, trying to guess which was the servants’ wing. The soft sound of her steps was the only noise filling the air, and she swallowed heavily when she realized why this place gave her such a strong feeling of apprehension: she should have heard birds chirping, or small animals running through the bushes, crushing twigs under their tiny feet. It felt like she had just stepped into a new universe, a world whose rules she didn’t know. The main alley split into two smaller ones right before she reached the main door, and Sophie took the one that led to the right wing. The moment she rounded the corner, she heard light chatter.
“Oh, you must be the new girl,” said a cute, chirpy brunette with blue eyes and olive skin. “I’ll go find Berith.” She didn’t even wait for Sophie to say anything, and hurried through the open door that seemed to lead to the kitchen.
Sophie turned to the other girl, a tall, slender beauty with long brown hair and kind, green eyes. Sophie recognized her immediately. Father Michael had described his daughter, Leila, to her, and the cambion couldn’t be happier she had found her supposed cousin so quickly and effortlessly. It was sheer luck.
“I’m Sophie.” She gave the girl a pleasant, reassuring smile. What she was about to tell her was probably going to confuse her, but she didn’t have much time. Berith would be there in minutes. “Leila, your father sent me. We need to talk.”
The girl gasped and took a step back. “How do you know my name? How do you know my father?” She studied Sophie carefully, trying to remember if she had seen her before.
“Leila…” Sophie stepped closer to the young woman, invading her personal space. She let just a tiny sliver of her demon aura out, enough to envelop Leila and make her fears and suspicions vanish. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m here to help. I’ve told Berith that I’m your cousin because I needed a cover.”
“Why… why are you doing this? What’s happening?” She couldn’t understand why her mind felt so hazy all of a sudden. She could swear a moment ago she had wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and this strange girl named Sophie, but that impulse was gone now.
Sophie took the girl’s hand and looked right into her eyes. “Shh… it’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” She used her aura to control the girl’s emotions, and carefully placed the thought that she was safe and Sophie was her friend into her confused mind. “The Count is not who you think he is. I am here to investigate him and his guests, and reveal his real identity. You must trust me, Leila.” She squeezed the girl’s hand. “Don’t tell anyone about this. It is our little secret, okay? Everyone must know I’m your cousin, Sophie, an orphan your father has taken into his care.”
“I won’t tell anyone…”
Sophie buried her demon aura deep down just as Berith opened the door. She slipped back into her role and greeted the demoness.
“I see you two have already reunited.”
“Oh yes,” said Leila. “I’m so glad my cousin is here. Thank you for offering her the job, Miss.”