Amelie awoke to absolute silence.

Lustere was still on the bed but this time in his familiar dog form which was not very convenient because he took up nearly half of the bed because of his unnaturally large size.

He also had one paw over which meant that a large portion of his weight was rather uncomfortably on top of her.

"Would you get up! You're crushing me.".

Lustre let out a long yawn, removed his paw and lazily stretched and blinked a few times.

Lustre jumped down from the bed and began to stretch some more.

Amelie rolled her eyes as she tore the covers off her.

"Oh shit you don't think I slept in too long do you?"

Lustre yawned again and grinned, a sort of lopsided smile that you'd usually see on a St Bernard. His tongue was a pale pink and it hung out of his mouth like a uncooked piece of bacon.

"You don't look too concerned. I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I were to go to his inner Chambers to check up on him, You know touch bases with him.

He did say he would give me a good explanation and you have assured me that he always has a good explanation, so then there's that.

So might as well go there since I'm awake now".

Amelie discovered there was a fresh change of clothes.

She held up the clothes in the light of the fire and she realized it consisted of a pair of very soft leggings and a silky black dress, along with a medieval looking cloak to match.

The dress had a skirt which reached down to her knees with a black lacy fringe on the bottom and the sleeves were see-through and had small black flowers embroidered into the thin material. The bust had tiny ruffles and it had too black straps woven in along her shoulders just for show.

There was a pair of high arched boots which she was disappointed they didn't have any spikes on them.

Lustere closed his eyes contentedly so as to not make her feel uncomfortable while she was getting dressed.

She didn't quite like how the dress hugged onto her bosom, in such a provocative way but the dress itself was rather cute she thought and it made the rest of her body look tall and slim, so she appreciated that at least.

The boots instead of making her stumble gave her a new sense of attitude and in a way made her feel very powerful and confident.

She strode towards the throne with her new confidence.

Her Employer just looked rather bored as he placed his finger idly on the side of his chin.

However, he stood at attention when he saw her coming towards his throne.

"I trust you slept well.

I hope you found your clothes to be satisfactory?"

"Yes I slept very well, better than I have in a really long time to be honest and yes the clothes are more than satisfactory I can assure you".

She smiled in a way that could only be described as forward and flirty.

He pretended not to notice but she knew he enjoyed the attention.

"I noticed you didn't touch any of the food that was prepared for you, from both last night and this morning.

Any reason for that?"

His voice had a business like quality this time.

" I wasn't hungry. I rather lost my appetite last night and I didn't wake up with much of an appetite this morning either. Perhaps I'll eat something later".

" What typical human behavior.

You are in a unfamiliar environment where you trust no one including myself So you refrain from eating.

I take it the thought of your friend being brutally tortured outside of your room did not sit well with your stomach."

" Well there's that and then there's the bit about where the food came from.

I'm sorry you feed humans to stray dogs so what else was I supposed to think?"

" Oh I see, so you actually think I would feed you human flesh is that what you're saying?

So you think that I would expect you to dine on forbidden fruits of the flesh so to speak?

You amuse me.

I admit I am sick and twisted but I assure you my evil has it's limits.

I will not force you to do something that you are not aware of nor will I expect you to do anything that you are not comfortable in doing.

Come closer, there is something i wish to discuss with you."

" Oh you want me to come closer so I can discuss something with you, that's a laugh. You probably just want to get a closer look of me in this dress that I'm wearing."

"I will eventually don't worry but first we talk. You wanted a explanation and I will gladly give you one.

Now listen carefully, that man that was tortured by my hand, he was not from earth exactly, he was from a alternate version of Earth. I believe in your world it is known as a alternate reality.

This version of earth was doomed and so was his soul, so I was merely doing him a kindness.

You must understand he would have died very soon after you met him and his death would be slow and horrible.

Fire had consumed the earth, the earth was dying and so was all the inhabitants.

So either way he would have suffered whether

he came here or he stayed upon his wretched little planet.

He was not brutally murdered as you thought, rest assured he was only brutally tortured, so fortunately for you he still lives".

"He's alive! Where is he?"

"Please Quiet your enthusiasm. He is in Stasis.

He is currently regenerating and recovering from his wounds.

He needs time to rest, his transformation isn't quite complete."

"What is he transforming into exactly?'

There was certain kind of terror in her voice that suggested that she was finally beginning to understand the ultimate darkness of this realm.

"He is currently in the process of becoming one of us, immortal and imperishable yet he still will be in a lower rank than myself.

He will be my servant, a lower class Centobite, a priest of the very lowest order.

So do try not to get too excited."

"I wasn't that excited. I was just concerned that's all".

"Concerned or in love?"

"No I wasn't in love with him.

I just had a tiny crush on him".

"So much for no emotional attachments.

In all fairness it is natural for you to have feelings for him, he is a man, yet it is also natural to get lost in a illusion that you created for yourself.

You played the fool and it's very easy to fool yourself in the process.

You imagine what could have been and what should have been but regardless all these illusions you fooled yourself into believing brought you here.

You need to learn that love is a temptation and temptation is a illusion in itself.

You cannot trust it, look at what love brought you in the past.

Love and humanity are the true monsters, not us.

You have to accept that.

If you don't you may never heal from this affliction of the flesh.

Humanity is a affliction and love is a even greater one.

If you are to stay here you must learn to let all of that go".

"So I should be cold, heartless and dead inside like you are in other words?"

"You aren't getting my point. Being a Centobite isn't about being heartless and cruel, it's about becoming your truest and purest self, unspoiled and unadulterated by human nature.

Living here isn't just about power, it's about freedom and ascending to the highest form of pleasure, evolving into the greatest form of immortality.

I am allowing you to willingly ascend and evolve into the person you were previously too frightened by your humanity to become.

This is an offer I do not give to just anyone, so everything you see here and every moment you experience here is a privilege, So I think it would be best for you to show a little gratitude.

Be thankful, you did not meet his fate.

Just think if you hadn't succeeded in retrieving that box, I would have delighted in tearing your sweet little soul apart".

"Yeah see that's the thing I'm concerned about, I keep wanting to trust you but then you say creepy and uncomfortable things like that, that kind of freak me out a bit.

I don't want to see you as a monster but you're making it really difficult for me to see you in a positive light.

It makes literally no sense that you seem so eager to insure my safety and comfort here but then you tell me the next moment that you secretly fantasize about torturing me.

It's confusing and frankly just plain weird.

I wish you'd be more clear you know.

I mean do you want me to be your willing servant or your involuntary slave for all eternity? Make up your mind".

Amelie batted her eyelashes as if she had just given him the biggest compliment of his life.

"I quite like that dress...on you.

It suits you. Would you mind turning around a bit so I can get a better look at you?"

"Don't flatter me."

She turned around ever so slowly and he rose from his throne mid twirl and caught ahold of her wrists to stop her from showing off the rest of her dress.

"You can stop now."

He slid his hands slowly down to her fingers and from behind he caressed her fingers with his own.

He was very close now and he brought her hands up to his lips as if to kiss them but he instead curiously examined them.

"You have to understand that I care not if you came here willingly or unwillingly, I would ensure that you came here and you would stay here for all eternity."

She quickly withdrew from his grasp and faced him so as to see if he was truly serious.

"That's possibly the nicest thing you've said to me since I came here."

"I knew you'd appreciate that. Now, give me your word that you won't question me again. Promise me you won't be a nuisance or a distraction to me while I'm working.

Swear to me you won't disrupt my work ever again".

"I promise, I swear, I give you my word."

"To do what?"

"I will not distract or disrupt you during your work and I will never question you again.

Your work has purpose and you have a good reason for all you do and I promise and swear to you I will never become a nuisance to you".

"That's a girl. Now I do indeed have a reason for everything I do but it's not always for good but it is always fair, just and logical.

Now go back to your living quarters and have your breakfast.

You'll need your strength for the next task I have in store for you".