35

35

The bed beneath me bounced and I my eyes shot open. The sun was

already shining light across the room. Master Evan lay down and stared

at me.

"Humans would make a terrible Warriors, Ciara,” he said. "You sleep

much too deeply. Really, it's not a wonder the slavers took you. I

imagine it was the easiest catch they had during their hunt.”

I rose slowly expecting pain, but my body was just a little sore. Looking

over my shoulder I saw fresh skin. The marks were a faint pink and

nearly healed. The ache was just residual.

Master Evan pulled me along for my morning routine. I guess I was

getting used to it now. I just did as he said.

The men were quiet at breakfast. Master Damien still looked tired. I

wondered if he was sleeping much at all. After what Rose had said, I

understood his concern

Everyone at the Keepers was excited to see me, except the Keepers,

who looked at me askance. My accident had evidently gotten them in

trouble, but not killed I was glad to see. The other girls were ecstatic to

see me. Out of sight of the Keepers, they examined my back.

Rose was particularly relieved. My lack of scarring proved the Warriors

still wanted me. The last beating she had seen had been much worse.

The girl they had lashed was from an aggressive planet where the

women were Warriors. She had tried to kill her owners as they slept.

Rose had feared any lashing from the General would be that bad, but

apparently what you did made a difference. Unlike me, that other girl

had been sent back to the slavers.

Once everyone else dispersed we were able to talk more freely about

the other problem. Fuji and Rose both told me when the Warriors did

things together it would help the bond grow.

"Right, they do everything together,” I said, "I can't help them with

that.”

The girls glanced at one another and then Rose looked at me, "Does

Christof join his brothers where you are involved?" she asked hesitantly.

They both knew I was shy about discussing what my owners did with

me.

I thought back on it and the answer was definitely a no. Christof would

sit to the side when my other owners had sex with me. He took his time

with me late at night after he walked me to the bathroom.

That wasn't normal they told me. The men took on the native women

as a group. They subdued them together, if that could be done. One of

the group would have sex with the woman, depending on who the

woman's mating smell attracted. Sex was the ultimate group effort, it

should be that way with me also.

When the lunch bell rang my stomach was in knots. I wanted to talk to

Christof, but I still wasn't sure what to say to him. When I saw my

kneeling place had been left outside I knew he would be coming for

me. I fiddled anxiously with the hem of my panels as I waited for him.

"Come, Ciara," he said softly when he arrived.

I rose and followed him through the little trail in the forest. We stopped

and he handed me my bowl as usual. He never fed me, he just let me

eat what I wanted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to watch, but they made me," he said

dejectedly.

"It wasn't that bad,” I lied and he looked at me like I'd grown an extra

head.

"I've been lashed before Ciara and I saw you up there. You don't have

to be brave for me. I know you took that beating because of what I did.

I can't stand to see that happen again.”

I saw an opening and took it. "It doesn't have to, Christof. If your

brothers had known the way you felt about the women they would

have helped you. You only needed me because you aren't depending

on them."

Christof's face darkened as he turned away from me. "Can you imagine

how they would react if they knew we were slaves here? It would kill

them to know that our entire lives have been built on a lie. It's better

this way," he said viciously pulling the leaves off a neighboring tree.

He needed to talk and vent, so I just listened as he spoke.

"I know the women will come take me again, probably to kill me. They

were furious I didn't keep to the coupling schedule. When they took me

this time the leader cited how valuable we are to them, all of us. Evan's

talent, Damien's strength, and my ability are all highly treasured. You

know, they even went easier on us this time to prove to me that we

hold worth to them,” Christof finished his rant and walked around the

little clearing we were in.

I followed him silently until he turned to look at me.

"Do you think this isn't affecting your brothers?" I asked touching his

arm. "Have you looked at Damien lately? He isn't sleeping. They can't

bear the thought of losing you.”

He turned to walk away from me and escape what I was saying. I

followed him and just continued talking.

"I'm a slave just like you and I'll tell you the truth. If it wasn't for the

support of those around me, I'd feel horrible. Everyone I get my

support from knows where they stand here and we just depend on

each other. I'm sure your brothers will be upset at first. You can help

them get through that part. In the end, they would rather have you."

The argument continued through lunch. I forgot to eat I was so busy

talking. I got back to the compound and kind of wished I'd had

something.

The girls knew what I had been doing during lunch and didn't bother

me when I got back. When the Keepers released us at the beach I swam

straight out my little hole. Being in the ocean calmed me some, but I

was still so frustrated. It didn't feel like I was making any headway at all.

I was distracted and cranky when the Warriors came and picked me up

at the end of the day. Headaches always gripped me when I was hungry

and I was starving. My stomach rumbled noisily all the way back to the

Warrior's compound. I tried tapping on it and sucking in my breath to

make the noise stop. It was a little embarrassing.

When we got home Master Damien turned to me and asked, "What did

you eat for your mid day meal?"

"I can't remember," I answered honestly. I had not even looked in the

bow! Christof brought with him.

"Have you forgotten how to address me, Ciara?" he asked in a low

voice.

“I'm sorry, Master Damien. No, I haven't forgotten how to address you.

It was a mistake, Master Damien," I said startled.

"What did Christof feed you today?" he repeated looking at me with

that scorching gaze. I hated that look.

I squirmed and desperately tried to remember what had been in the

bowl. I got the feeling Master Damien really wanted to ask Christof. I

was just a more acceptable target for his irritation. Christof answered

him finally. "I fed it nothing. We talked the entire time," he said.

Master Damien looked between the two of us before turning and

pulling me to a kneeling place by the table. He took out a bowl! of

worms and started to feed me.

"You will eat now and you will eat later,” was all he said.

Master Damien sounded angry and frustrated. I ate what he gave me

gratefully and didn't complain it was too much, which it was.

I gagged on the slime like always and Master Damien slammed the

bowl on the table. He glared at me and I wanted to sink into the floor. I

tried to remember him telling me he wouldn't hurt me. The look on his

face currently said differently.

"It is not Ciara's fault, Damien. Your anger is misplaced," Christof said

taking his seat across from Master Damien.

"Christof," he said calmly, "it is important it is fed regularly. It will

become ill if it is not. What was so important you neglected to feed

Ciara?"

The request was met with silence. I'm sure it was the same silence that

had been going on for a long time. I could not lose them. This had to

stop.

I looked at the floor and studied my hands in my lap.

Against my better judgement I whispered, "You should tell them,

Christof."

Master Damien jerked me to my feet and started to remove my

coverings. "I will take you to the posts until you learn to address us

properly,” he fumed.

Christof stopped him. "I told it to address me as such," he said putting a

hand over Master Damien's.

"Brother, what is wrong with you?" Master Damien asked exasperated.

Master Damien had threatened the posts and I knew I should stay

quiet. I waited and watched their boots as the two men stared at one

another.

Tentatively, I reached out and took Christof's hand in reassurance. He

could do this. I had faith in him.

Christof spoke finally giving my hand a squeeze, "I spoke about the

women. Ciara argued with me. It thinks I am being foolish to not share

what I know with you. I do not wish to see you destroyed the way I

have been. I do not know what to do."

Master Evan broke the next silence as he came to stand next to Master

Damien, "We are being destroyed as it stands,” he said addressing his

brother.

I felt really uncomfortable and released Christof's hand. This was their

family, I was just a visitor. It would have been better if they had just put

me in the bedroom, but they didn't. Master Damien pulled me to kneel

in the sitting room.

"Tell us," he commanded sitting down, "all of it. You may surprise us but

you will not destroy us.”

Finally, Christof let it spill. He told them everything; how the world

worked, how the women were in charge. Christof even told them how

they had wanted to take all the brothers to live in the mountains. He

told them he felt the bond break when the women told him that; it

stressed him too much. There were things he told them he'd never told

me.

The life in the mountains was much like it was here. The men worked in

jobs the women chose for them. Women would mate with them at their

discretion; which sometimes meant daily. Many of the men liked living

in the mountains, some did not. No man ever left them without

permission, though. The women exercised absolute control.

"I saw slavers when I was there," Christof told them. "The women

choose which slaves would be suitable for us. If they really want a slave,

they pay for it themselves ahead of time. What we use for money is

worthless. The true payment is made by the women before or after we

have left. The slavers are not allowed to give us the option of certain

races. The slavers seemed terrified of our women. I was whipped

because I saw that; I had snuck out of my place.”

I thought back to the auction. It was a blur of fear, but I seem to

remember only stopping in front of men like my owners. There were

other creatures there, but I only stopped in front of Paterian looking

men. A flush lit my cheeks when I realized I was pre-paid. It was an odd

honor.