35


    35


    The bed beneath me bounced and I my eyes shot open. The sun was already shining light across


    the room. Master Evany 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 vers 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 ident had evidently gotten them in trouble, but not killed I was d to see. The other girls


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


    Rose was particrly relieved. Myck of scarring proved the Warriors still wanted me. Thest


    beating she had seen had been much worse.


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    The girl they hadshed was from an aggressive where the women were Warriors. She had


    tried to kill her owners as they slept. Rose had feared anyshing 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 vers.


    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 nced 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 mete 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 ce had been left outside I knew he would being


    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 beenshed 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 ves 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 wille 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


    Damientely? 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 ve 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''spound. 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 bowl 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 eptable 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 ce by


    the table. He took out a bowl of worms and started to feed me.


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


    Master Damien sounded angry and frustrated. I ate what he gave me gratefully and didn''tin


    it was too much, which it was.


    I gagged on the slime like always and Master Damien mmed the bowl on the table. He red 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 misced," Christof said taking his seat across from


    Master Damien.


    "Christof," he said calmly, "it is important it is fed regrly. It will be 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 myp.


    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 ufortable 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," hemanded 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 vers when I was there," Christof told them. "The women choose which ves would be


    suitable for us. If they really want a ve, 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


    vers are not allowed to give us the option of certain races. The vers seemed terrified of our


    women. I was whipped because I saw that; I had snuck out of my ce."


    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.