Keywords: 02, Ch., Tales, in, Slavery,

"Author's note: I would like to thank my editor, Talynnda, for all of her patience, and her great advice. "

~~~~~~~~~

The other slave and I were washed hastily, then loaded into a charcoal minivan and bound to the plush seats. I was relieved to have something beside cement under my bottom. As we moved out onto the night-time streets, the slave beside me giggled, her emerald eyes flashing with joy that I could not fathom.

"Things will be so much better for us, from now on." She told me, flashing an off-white smile. "You'll see."

I shook my head slowly. "You can't judge what your master will be like at a sale." I told her quietly. "If I were you, I would simply feel privileged that he gave you any form of pleasure. It may be the last you ever get."

She gave an irritated grunt and turned to look out the heavily tinted window. "For both our sakes, I hope you're wrong." She muttered as she watched the bleak scenery pass.

I looked toward the front of the minivan. I could see the back of our new master's head, as he drove us toward what I prayed to be my final home. He reached with his long, pianist-like fingers and turned on the radio, filling the van with classical music. "Mozart is good for the soul," he called quietly over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving the lightly trafficked street. "We have some distance to travel. You two would do well to get some rest."

I sighed, trying to get comfortable with my arms and legs bound tightly to the framework of the bench seat. I knew from masters past that being advised to sleep usually meant that the coming trials would be similar to running a marathon.

Before closing my eyes I looked once more at the other slave girl, her forehead rested against the window her button nose pressed hard against the glass, almost defiant to the suggestive order from our new master. I thought that I knew why she had been abandoned at the death-sale. I Quickly judged that it would not be long before she was painfully retired, or found herself at another auction. With a shake of my head I shut my eyes, and forced myself into a dreamless sleep.

I was jolted awake as the van's side door slid open, I felt rested and guessed that I had been asleep for at least three hours. I turned my head, not wanting to directly watch my master. To my left the other slave still slept, her blonde waves pillowing her from the chilled glass. I watched from the corner of my eyes as my master stepped into the van, and knelt to unbind my ankles. "She's a heavy sleeper," he whispered, nodding slightly to the girl.

"Yes, lord." I muttered, keeping my head low and my eyes averted.

I could see that as his hands worked to free my legs he was evaluating my features. In my mind's eye I could picture what he was seeing; a ratted mess of scissor hacked black hair, nearly translucent heavily scarred and filth-stained skin, and dark brown slightly slanted eyes. My right leg was released, his hands moved to my left, moving softly over my calf.

"Perhaps, while she rests, we'll get you cleaned up, and play some. I rarely make a purchase without testing. But that creature fouled you before I could get a taste." He untethered my ankle and was once more running his hands over my thin legs.

A frozen chill ignited every nerve as I hung my head in guilt, taking the other vampire's actions as my own. "Forgive me, lord." I whimpered, chastised.

His hand moved quickly at my face. I tensed, bracing for the slap I knew could easily break my neck. His palm touched my check, not with a jarring blow but to gently force my gaze to his. He cupped my chin in his hand as I looked into his eyes.

His irises were incredibly dark grey pools of warmth, and I wanted nothing more than to drown in them. He clicked his tongue against his teeth scolding me; the words that followed were edged with anger. "You will not let that creature's actions mar your own. I can only imagine what has caused you to become this broken thing, but I intend to make you whole again."

Without moving my face, I dropped my eyes, my thoughts turning bitter. "Yes, whole, before you tear me apart for your pleasure". "Yes, my lord, I long to be whole for you," I whispered slavishly as he released my chin.

He shook his head disappointed, as his hands moved quickly to unshackle my wrists. I lowered my eyes debating if it was my words that has dissatisfied him, or if he had somehow heard my thoughts.

He urged me to stand, and then led me out of the van and quickly through a near barren two-car garage. We stepped through the doorway and into a lavishly furnished house. I couldn't keep from taking a long awe-stuck look. The kitchen was exquisite, and to my surprise was full of fine culinary tools. The hardwood flooring was the deepest merlot cherry-wood. The two-tone walls varied between barren tundra and pale cress green. The windows were flung open to the cool night breeze.

We moved through the kitchen and the matching dinning area, a traditional walnut table for six dominating the comfortable room, and into the living room. Reproductions of Monet's landscapes hung on fog colored walls. Three deeply cushioned toffee colored couches were centered around a low walnut coffee table. And seated calmly on one of those couches sat a man dressed only in a pair of cerulean swimming shorts.

He stood, as my master released his gently grasp on my arm, and approached. "Julien, sir," He spoke softly, lowing his head in greeting. "I'm pleased to see you have returned so soon, I was worried I would get lonely being the alone in this house."

"Another slave?" I wondered silently. "No he can't be. No master would leave a slave untethered in a house alone."

My master turned and shot me a sorrowful look, his slate eyes telling me to silence those thoughts. He then turned to smile and nod a greeting at the man. "And I do hope that you have not been swimming and have stained my leather couch." He laughed dismissively, and watched as the other man looked me over with approving eyes.

I met the other man's eyes daringly. If this was another slave, I doubted I would be punished for looking at him so openly. He's eyes matched his shorts perfectly, I noticed as his gaze made a slow journey down my malnourished frame. I looked hard at his bare shoulders and neck, almost shocked to see the tiny white scars of old feedings. He shook his head sadly, his eyes slowly leaving my tiny breasts and erect nipples. "She looks half-starved," he muttered, his deep voice sorrowful, looking back at my master.

"Yes, but I trust with your cooking you can have her back to an appropriate weight in a few weeks." Master smiled, as the other man seemed to radiate under the compliment. "You should make something wonderful for her, while I get her cleaned up."

"It will be wonderful to cook for more than one," the other man said, as he sped to the kitchen.

"Oh, Cid, I nearly forgot," master laughed. "While you are making your feast, check on the other one still sleeping in the van, occasionally. She is bound, so just a glance in from time-to-time should do, until I have a chance to get her moved inside."

Cid's icy blue eyes lit-up with joy. "You brought home two!" Finishing dancing a short jig, he rushed at my master and gave him a great hug. His rippling muscles flexed incredibly as he embraced the master.

Master returned the hug, running his long fingers through Cid's short sorrel hair, then pushed him away gently. "Go cook, we have a lot of time." Cid turned and almost skipped into the kitchen, and soon I could hear the clatter of pots and pans. Turning his attention back to me, still beaming, my master put a guiding hand at my elbow. "Let's get you to cleaned up."

I nodded, fighting the cramps as fear began pitting in my bowels. In the five years of slavery, I had never been treated so kindly by a new master. We moved through the hallway, the long walls littered with more fine reproductions of artists that I could not identify. The many closed doors drew my attention, and I found myself listening for sounds of life behind then. I took a deep breath trying to catch the odor of decay. There was nothing, silence and fresh melon or peach scents of candles or potpourri.

He stopped us outside of one of the seven closed doors. He nudged me gently, and I reached forward turning the handle. As the door swung open it revealed a large bathroom. A deep jacuzzi bath and a separate glass-walled double headed shower dominated the rear of the the room. I made a quick note of the toilet, but paid little attention to the stand alone sink, or the mirror above it. As a slave, I had no need for vanity. Opposite the sink was a built-in towel closet.

"I will leave you to bathe," Master said, as I stepped into the room. He flipped on the over-head light. He looked me over again, obviously scrutinizing my ragged and un-kept condition, then removed the thick collar from around my neck. "I would like you to shave. It appears that your previous owner had no care for proper grooming." He opened the towel-closet and removed a disposable razor. He sat it on the edge of the bath, before turning and walking further up the hallway and into a room.

I filled the large tub, and cleaned myself mechanically. I washed my foul mid-back length onyx hair, rinsing out the grime under the running faucet. I used my fingers, dipping them into my defiled and still sore hole, to scoop the remains of creature's seed into the tub. Then unrestricted, I scrubbed myself until my skin felt bruised, but almost clean. Finally, I took up the razor, and removed every unwanted hair from below my neck.

I drained the tub, watching the polluted water disappear. Then I filled the tub again, with nearly scalding hot water. I throughly washed myself again and leaned back to enjoy the extreme warmth as it softened my skin. I wanted to be perfect for my master. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine what he could possibly have in mind for me. His talk of making me 'whole' again had me baffled.

Keywords: 02, Ch., Tales, in, Slavery,

•  Surrender
•  Extraterrestrial Love
•  Thirst!
•  Wolf Ch. 1