Did you eat a good midday meal, my Loyal servants?” she asked.


    “Yes, Mistress,” they replied.


    I realized I had answered her also. There was an unearthlypulsion to do what she said. It wasn’t


    apparent to me if the feeling was from fear, respect, or something else all together.


    “Rue and his Brothers have been brought before us,” she said simply. There was a Long pause before


    she spoke again. “Damien, I will exin this to you only one more time. Your family is to Look at me


    when I speak to you.”


    My head snapped up and I looked into her fanged face across the table. Looking away had been a sign


    of disrespect. If I didn’t feel the need to watch her, I did not fear her. Anyone that did not fear the great


    female challenged her and she would crush them.


    The group answered with me, “We apologize, Mistress.”


    “You will all be punished for harming yourselves,” she said simply.


    “You are under my protection and not to be damaged unless it is my decision.”


    Punishment meant a whipping. We could survive that, they could survive that, at least.


    A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y


    “The human…” Master Christof said softly and I felt his concern.


    The whips were too strong, I was too weak, and they weren’t sure the women knew how much force to


    use.


    “We would take the ve’s portion, Mistress,” Master Damien said.


    I wasn’t worried about myself, but about the child. What if I was hurt too badly and it hurt the baby?


    “The child,” Master Evan said, almost spitting the words out, “the human is full with the child, Mistress.”


    He didn’t like this talk of me having a child and being a woman. I was just so persistent about it.


    “The human,” Nu-reeh said, “will suffer with you, but only through your skin.”


    “Thank you, Mistress, The images flooded my head. They felt each other’s pain. Nu-reeh would not hit


    me, but I would suffer just like they did. It was very small constion to know I would not actually be


    harmed.


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    .we answered as a group, but I didn’t understand.


    Nu-reeh left us to finish our meal after her pronouncement. No one seemed that worried about it. Sure


    pain was promised eventually, but not right now. For the moment we were left in peace, so we enjoyed


    it.


    The meal finished and with nothing else to do, we went for a walk. The men decided I would be


    curious. They wanted to see me experience this world, I was always so expressive.


    We walked from the eating hall through a convoluted series of maze like passageways. My owners had


    traversed these ces regrly, so they knew where we were. It was so odd to have information at my


    disposal that should have not have been mine. I knew right where I was.


    ttering talons sounded and my Masters backed me against the wall. The voices in my head told me


    how to act. She may not even nce at us, but we should watch her.


    ‘smaller than Nu-reeh,’ was my first thought. Just as scary, though. The brown pelted creature walked


    past us with it’s wingspan folded in the tight hallway. She looked at me and snorted. It sounded like she


    cursed. My presence here was not appreciated at all.


    “We enjoy having you here,” Master Evan said throwing back a smile once she was gone.