JOSH'S POV
All I have ever known is the life of being a pet. I started as Dragonetti's pet, but after the one known as Frost killed my master, he took me into his home. I thought being Dragonetti's pet was bad, but it is worse to be Deacon Frost's pet. He placed me into a cage in the corner of the main room and only let me out to use the restroom, otherwise, I sat cramped in a too-small cage where all his party guests could poke, proud, scratch, and bite me. I am only eighteen and wish that someone would just kill me already. My master seems to be gone a lot anymore, so I don't think anything of it when someone came into the apartment with only a half-hour to spare until the sun came up, but when I see a man I don't recognize, I became scared and moved as far from the man as possible as he kneels in front of the cage.
"It's ok, kid. I'm not going to hurt you. What is your name?" the man asks as he looks at the padlock that keeps me in the cage.
"Josh," I say softly, knowing to not raise my voice unless I want to be punished.
"That is a nice name. My name is Blade," the man says, reaching into his pocket, which makes me whimper and moves farther away from him. Blade looks up at me weirdly when I whimper. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just pulling out a set of keys."
"Where did you get those keys?" I ask, recognizing the keys that belong to my master and speaking before I can stop myself. Blade looks at me with a weird look in his eyes, which I take as anger and whimper again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk out of term. I promise I won't do it again. Please don't hurt me."
"Hey, it's ok. It's ok. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at Frost," Blade says, seeming to panic when I started apologizing, which confuses me.
"Why are you mad at my master?" I asked softly as I carefully watched his reaction, which seems to be anger but also concern and pity.
"He killed someone that was like a father to me," Blade says softly.
"I'm sorry," I say as he unlocks the door to my cage. "What are you doing? I'm not allowed out until the master says so."
"Frost is dead. You have no master now. How old are you anyway?" Blade asks as he stretches his hand out to me to help me out. I slowly took his hand and let him help me out.
"What do you mean my master is dead? He cannot be dead? I have to have a master."
"I killed Frost, and you don't need a master to live. You are free now. You can go home to your family. How old are you?"
"I'm eighteen, and I don't have a family. Dragonetti killed my family when I was three. I know the life of a pet. I don't know how to survive out there." I panic slightly when Blade suddenly pulls me into his arms and hugs me close and tight.
"You have no idea what the outside world is like, do you?" Blade asks. I shake my head no as he picks me up bridal style suddenly and starts walking towards the door, but he pauses before he walks out. "When was the last time you saw the sun?"
"As far as I know, never," I say, lying against Blade weakly.
"You'll need these then," Blade says, pulling out a pair of sunglasses like Blade is wearing and putting them on me before walking again.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, squinting when he steps out into the bright outdoors. The sun hurts my eyes so much that I start to cry and bury my face in Blade's chest.
"I'm taking you home to live with me," Blade says, tightening his hold on me.
"Thank you, master," I say. I instantly feel him tense and tense myself.