Chapter 2.3

Chapter2.3

Should he perhaps continue the transformation now? She was still exhausted from her escape attempt, but it would show her that he would not be deterred from her actions.

He was not allowed to be too quick and hasty. First, she had to get used to his blood. Otherwise, it could mean even more disastrous proportions.

Unfortunately, he had to recover a bit himself and take care of his wounds that burned like fire.

With the tray in his hand, he wordlessly left the kitchen and went back to Quinn.

She was lying in bed and had not moved. Nor could she. Her head was cocked to one side, and she looked at him, exhausted. He could hear her mumbling something into the gag.

Without reacting, he put the tray down on the table and put some more logs in the fire. Comfortable warmth had spread, which should help her get warm.

Only then did he approach the woman and remove the gag from her mouth.

Eagerly, she gasped for air and breathed heavily before she began to cough. Almost accusingly, she raised her eyes to Rei.

The latter could not have guessed that the gag and the position, as well as the warmth of the blankets, had caused her to be about to drift off mentally because she had not been able to get enough air.

"You get one last chance," he began to speak, lifting her head slightly and holding the glass of water to her lips. "Either you eat willingly and alone, or I will oblige," he continued. It was her choice which she would choose.

However, when she turned away from the glass of water, her answer was clear. It seemed like she was really itching to get to know him properly. Why was she so stubborn?

"It hurts," she said softly, her voice rough, trying to free her head from his grip.

"What hurts?" asked Rei coldly, going to the chest to look for something. She hadn't wanted it any other way.

"The posture and the swallowing," she said harshly as she put her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes. Yet that wasn't even the real problem. Her whole body ached.

Unconcerned, he shrugged his shoulders. As he searched in the chest, Quinn could hear strange clanking sounds. "If you wouldn't lock up and accept the food and drink, I'd let you sit up," he said, silent for a moment before pulling a funnel with a tube out of the chest. "Unfortunately, since you're not very cooperative, I'm going to bring it into you some other way."

When she saw what he was bringing, she began to squirm. Her gaze fixed on the funnel. Fear was reflected in it, and she tried to move away but didn't think of begging. He would probably spare her if she begged him, but she would not do that. She was too proud for that.

Her look changed from fearful to stubborn as she waited for him to do what he had to do. At this, she had her teeth clenched tightly.

Mockingly, he glanced at her and showed her something else he had been looking for. It was almost like a gag, but it consisted of a metal frame meant to hold the mouth open. The structure was connected with a leather strap, so it couldn't be spitting out.

"So, what would you rather have? Eat normally and enjoy, or would you prefer the unpleasant option?" he asked again, giving her a chance to decide. It didn't hurt, but it was very uncomfortable. Especially when the tube was inserted or removed. Unfortunately, he sometimes had to use this method on stubborn people. At the same time, he preferred not to.

Quinn stared at both and began to squirm again. Was he earnest about this? How was he going to feed it to her? It looked creepy and brought tears to her eyes.

Was he trying to scare her into submitting to him? Wasn't she even free to eat or not anymore?

Quinn lowered his eyelids. "Do what you have to do. I'm just a doll with no will of my own anyway. You leave me no choice after all."

"I wouldn't have to if you ate willingly or let me feed you," he said indifferently as if it was none of his business. Quinn had a choice. Depending on how she behaved, he would accommodate her.

"My point is not to make you do it necessarily but to make you feel better. Your body needs nourishment so it can recover," Rei explained, joining her at the bedside before lightly running his hand over her gray hair. "Aside from the transformation, your well-being is my first priority. Part of that is making sure you get everything you need. Your stomach is growling all the time, and you're just refusing because you want to die. But I don't want that," he said thoughtfully. It was vital for him that she ate.

She wouldn't believe him anyway, no matter what he said. Actually, he didn't need to run his mouth, but he felt the need to tell her.

In one hand, he held these strange things, while with the other, he gently stroked her hair.

It was so unexpectedly gentle that it brought tears to her eyes. Even the gesture made her think.

"It hurts so much," she whispered again. "Nothing eating hurts less than what comes after I've eaten."

Lost in thought, he looked at Quinn and sighed. This was definitely a problem. But without food, she would not be able to make the transformation.

"I understand your fear. But it's important because your body needs nutrients," Rei explained, briefly stroking her cheek. He was merely testing to see if her skin was already warm.

Relief spread through him when he felt that her skin had become warmer. Now she could put her clothes back on.

At his touch, she closed her eyes. It felt strangely soothing. Still, the problem remained. "I like to eat," she confessed softly. "But the pain that follows makes me feel like I'm being punished for it." So far, it seemed, she had already been conditioned.

"Unfortunately, that's the way it is during the transformation. You can only alleviate the symptoms by getting help in time," Rei said apologetically. Just as before, it would be necessary to react quickly if one didn't want to make someone suffer for an unnecessarily long time.

"I don't want this. It scares me. I just want to be a normal girl," she whined softly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She was more afraid of what awaited her than she was of death.

A soothing sound rang out from Rei before he thought it was already too late for that. "You haven't been normal since the first administration. I promise to help you as much as I can to get through this time. Unfortunately, I can't prevent everything, only alleviate it," he added.

Quinn's tears didn't diminish. "Can't you just get through it as quickly as possible?" she asked quietly. She just wanted it to end, after all, and she couldn't seem to escape.

Slightly, he shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. You'll have to get used to me before we can move on. Some time must pass between each phase," Rei explained regretfully. He didn't like the idea of sending women through this excruciatingly painful time at all. "Once the transformation is complete, your pain will lessen and disappear."

"Only if I get to the right dragon," she whispered. "I've seen, and heard women suffer even though the transformation is over," she said, shuddering. She would have liked to curl up into a little ball or run away, but she couldn't. She was utterly at the mercy of her fear and everything that was happening around her.

Deny that some dragons did not treat women well, he could not. Rei knew very well why some men were here and what they had done. Therefore, he could not disagree.

"Then hold on to the hope of getting to a good dragon," he asked the young woman as he loosened the chains on her cuffs. "Get dressed," Rei ordered, pointing to the clothes next to the bed.

Quinn shrugged and sat up slightly. He was nice to her, and yet he ordered her around. Orders made her want to resist, even though she knew it was stupid and, in that case, unnecessary.

Trembling, she reached for her clothes and couldn't imagine that someone who ordered her to do something wanted to do her good. She had the feeling that it was merely to lull her into a sense of security.

She would have to put the clothes on over this strange leather thing because Rei hadn't said anything about letting her take it off. Nor could Quinn because it was sealed with his magic.

Therefore, the other men could not open their own leather parts either.

As long as Quinn changed, he turned away from her and looked after the fire.

When she was done, she was sitting on the bed with her hands in her lap. Her head was lowered. She knew he wanted her to eat more, but she would not. As she did, her stomach growled worse and worse, and she knew he could hear it.

"Are you going to tie me up again?" she asked softly because the silence was weighing her down.

He was supposed to. Punish her for her disobedience, for daring to defy him. And yet, at that moment, he couldn't bring himself to do it.