Chapter 43: The Strangest Escape Plan

"Hey... Woman..."

"What?" Yuliah answered. She was too tired at this point. Ward fought with everything he had, but there were just too many Nomens, in the end, the Nomens knocked him unconscious. She tried to resist them as well, but with her hands bounded, it made little difference.

"How did we get here?" He asked.

"After they hit you over the head. The Nomens blindfolded us both and brought us here." They were inside what looked like a stable or shed. No, it couldn't be. Yuliah's eyes surveyed the room some more. It had to be a cell for prisoners. That's why the walls had chains, and more chains hung from the ceiling.

"We can escape. I have the key to the chains around your wrists. First, you free yourself and then me," he gruffed. The Nomens hung him upside down and tied Wards hands behind his back.

"Where's the key?" Yuliah asked. Her eyes rolled upward at him, and she remembered where he placed it. "NO," she hissed at him. How would she even get the key it was down his pants. All this fighting to survive exhausted her. From the moment she left her father's home to escaping Liang's Manor, it had been nothing but fighting to survive.

Ward's brows knitted together and he paused for a moment before finally speaking. "We're going to fucken die. They will kill me and then rape you, and you're fine with that? They're probably outside deciding who's going first right now."

Yuliah's face paled, and she snapped from her exhausted mind. Great more rapers and murders. Does this ever end she sighed? "Fine. How am I supposed to get the key?"

"You won't like this, but it's our only option. Hurry up and get over here. All this blood going to my head is fucking up my thoughts."

Yuliah twisted and inched across the floor until she kneeled with her face directly from Ward's hip. The Nomens chained her hands above her head, but there was enough slack for her to move around.

"The key it's looped through the inside of my pants. You'll have to use your mouth to get it. Once my pants are undone. Grab the key with your mouth. I'll twist around, and you drop it in my hand. Then I'll sit up and undo your lock," Ward looked completely serious.

"What?" Yuliah's face went blank. She didn't understand a word he said.

"Just get over here." Ward sighed.

Would it even be possible? Yuliah scooted closer to him. "You just had to put it in your pants," She snarled at him. "Get over here."

"Hold on. I have to swing over." Ward began to squirm until he swung slightly side to side. "Now catch my pants with your teeth."

"How am I going to do that?" Yuliah looked up just as he came hurling over and too fast. "Ouch". Yuliah tumbled back. "Give me some time at least!" She glared at him.

"Sorry - it's not fun hanging upside down like this!" he stopped moving and slowed down. "Alright, here I come again." he swung over but slower.

She had her mouth open, ready to snatch onto his pants. They couldn't waste any more time. She needed to get this done in one shot. Yuliah's eyes closed in on his pants.

"You're scaring me with that look," he said. "Be careful, will you and make sure you bite down on the waist of my pants only."

"I know. Stop distracting me." Yuliah twisted her body more to the right, and concentrated while he swung back again. Yes! She caught the button of his pants right between her teeth. It snapped right off. Yuliah flicked the button out of her mouth, and Ward veered back, away.

"I'm gonna swing over again. This time try to grab hold of my pants with your hands, so I don't swing back. That way, you can get the key with your mouth."

His body swooshed towards her again. Yuliah's fingers snatched onto his pants leg. Then her mouth went for the rise of his pants. With her teeth, she untucked part of his shirt, exposing his toned belly. That wasn't too hard she smiled, but her eyes lingered too long on his perfectly sculpted stomach. She quickly diverted them back to his pants.

He saw her. "Impressive, huh? I bet he doesn't compare," Ward chuckled.

Seriously he still had the heart to make a joke at a time like this. Yuliah ignored him and began to pry his pants open with her mouth. Her lips and teeth rubbed and scraped against his bare skin.

"Easy love," he squirmed. "Can you be more gentle, and watch the teeth." Ward twisted around.

What's this? Her eyes and nose bumped into the bulge now smooshed to her face. Yuliah careened her neck back. Oh, Gods! She'd been with Ryas. She knew what a mans part looked like but its never been in her face this close before. Ryas! What would he think? She paused. No, don't think about Ryas. She shook her head.

"What's wrong? You look a little taken back," he laughed. "I know it's amazing and you've never quite seen anything that big before but focus. We don't know when the Nomens will be back."

"Why is it in my face! Ugh!" She pushed it sideways away with her face. Then went back to work on opening his pants with her teeth. "Make sure it doesn't fall out onto my face," she said through gritted teeth. Yuliah took a deep breath.

"If you haven't noticed. My hands are tied. I have no control over that."

"I see it," Yuliah shouted out.

"The key or my -" he sounded surprised.

Yuliah glared at him. "No, you pervert. I found the key." He looped it inside his pants and now Yuliah had to try and grab it with her mouth, but he tucked the key too far inside. After several attempts she still could not retrieve the key.

"Alright love, you're going to have to try something different. Obviously that's not working."

The only way she could get to it would be to use her tongue. "Damn you, Ward. Don't enjoy this too much," she sneered at him and then slid her tongue forward flickering against his smooth skin.

He wiggled a bit, "Well, you sure could do wonders with your mouth," he watched from below.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes at him. Yuliah curled the key onto her tongue and then mouth and placed it between her lips then tugged, the key snapped off into her mouth.

"Good girl. Now spit it into my hand," Ward swung forward and twisted backward. He came swinging right towards Yuliah. His butt slammed into her face as he tried to grab hold of her head but missed and took a lock of her hair instead.

"Owwww," Yuliah tilted forward, and almost swallowed the key. Gods! Her face was literally up his ass. At least he didn't smell like sweaty butt, she gasped for air.

His hands wrapped around Yuliah's face, "Give me the key," he asked.

Yuliah spat the key into his palm. He lifted his head towards his toes, but the height of his hands was not high enough.

"Give me a boost with your hands," he ordered.

Great more touching. What would Ryas think if he saw this right now? He'd probably kill Ward on the spot. No. She shook those thoughts away. It's because of him she's here in the first place.

Yuliah's hands spread apart into a little seat for Ward to sit on and she pushed up. They cupped around his toned behind as it flexed in her palms. Ewww... More touching. With both arms, she strengthened them to support his weight. This escape plan had to be the strangest she experienced by far.

His fingers worked hard, trying to open the lock but struggled.

"Hurry up, Ward. I don't know how much longer I can hold you up," Yuliah's arms began to burn and turn mushy. Strength's never been one of her best attributes.

"Hold on. I almost got it."

Click... The golden chain slipped downward right passed her face and freed her wrists. Yuliah shook her wrists and arms. They felt like mush by this time.

"My bag it's in the corner. Grab the small blade from the inside pocket and cut us free," Ward instructed.

Yuliah hopped towards the bag and found his knife. She cut the rope from her feet and rushed back to Ward.

Deep voices came from outside the shed. Yuliah's heart hammered away inside her chest as she quickly sawed at the rope around Wards feet.

"Hurry, girl. Faster," his voice hastened.

With one last cut, he dropped from the ceiling just as a Nomen flung the door open.

She lifted Ward to his feet but hid behind him. The Nomen, he looked like a man but stood larger and looked wild. This one, in particular, towered above Ward and her. His arm muscles were as round and big as her head. If she were to stand next to him, Yuliah would only reach the cage of his chest.

He was clad in light armor and had long dark hair. "I see you broke free," he looked at them. "Your efforts are a waste. Hand the woman over," his voice so calm it frightened Yuliah.

"The woman's already claimed," Ward backed Yuliah further away.

"By you?" He laughed. "It's not your scent I smell on her, but another's," he leaned his head sideways to get a better look at Yuliah. "Interesting. The scent of the dead?" he chuckled.

"The dead? Who's he talking about?" Ward asked.

"I don't know. How are we going to get out of this?" Yuliah's right hand clutched onto his shirt.

"We?" Ward questioned. "They don't care about me. They want you."

The Nomen took a step forward and closed two feet of distance between them, "You have no claim on the woman. It's not your scent. You can't challenge me for her," he spoke.

"It's not my scent, but I took her from another. So I have a claim on her," Ward turned to Yuliah. "Hurry. Cut the rope."

Yuliah sliced at the rope and freed Ward. He took her knife and pivoted around. An enormous body sailed through the air at them. He moved fast and quick.

"Move," Ward pushed her sideways, sending her flying across the room just as the Nomen landed right on their side of the cell.

"You won't get away this time," he swung his large arm at Ward who jumped back and ducked.

"But I did," Ward mocked him and slid forward. With a swift swing, he stabbed the blade into the Nomens gut, but he barely flinched. Instead, he bear-hugged Ward and bucked his head into Wards.

Yuliah's body froze as their heads clashed, and his head struck Ward repeatedly. She felt her knees wobble but she had to do something, or he'd kill Ward. At that moment, her eyes caught a glimpse of the golden chain a few feet away. Yuliah dove for the chain and jumped onto the Nomens back. She draped the chain around his neck and pulled back.

He was big, so big that she hung off his body by the chain, it dragged her down and added more weight to the pull. He stumbled back and fell, pinning Yuliah underneath him, but she refused to let go of the chain. She pulled even harder as he thrashed about crushing her under him.

Ward finally came to and lunged forward. He stabbed the Nomen repeatedly until the blade in his hand slipped out and the massive body in front of him no longer moved. "This fuckers huge," Ward wiped the blood from his face. "I had to stab him twenty times just to kill him," he flipped the Nomen over, and Yuliah crawled gasping out.

His fingers clasped around hers, pulling Yuliah to her feet. "Let's go. We don't have time to waste," and yanked her behind him.

"Ward," Yuliah whispered. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure, we just need to get out of here," he held her hand tightly.

It was dark. Pitch blackout and the Nomens had good eyesight. They could see better than humans, especially at night. Which meant Yuliah and Ward needed to stay low and in the shadows. Ward moved them between the tents.

When the Nomens brought them here, both Yuliah and Ward were blindfolded, but now that she could see. Yuliah wished to be blindfolded again. This place frightened her.

There had to be close to one hundred tents pitched with small wooden taverns scattered everywhere. A Nomen camp, that's what this was. Loud strange music played from the buildings, laughter, and sounds came from all directions. Yuliah wasn't sure if she heard correctly, maybe she hit her head when that Nomen fell on her, but she heard moaning. Multiple women were moaning from all around her. "Ward," she whispered. "Do you hear that?"

Ward pulled her closer to him. "Yes. It's a breeding camp. Be quiet, or you might end up in one of those tents."

"Were these women forced here?" She asked as they ducked behind a tent and made their way slowly for another.

"Some were, some chose to be here. It doesn't matter. Once you mate with a Nomen male, you're stuck for life. They bond you."

"Like the blood binding?" She asked.

"Sort of but it's not blood that binds you. It's their nether parts and seed. How do you know about blood binding?"

Yuliah felt a chill down her back, "I read it in a book. Get us out of here." She couldn't imagine being bound to a Nomen for life when her heart wanted to go back to him. No, she shouldn't even think about him anymore. Ryas abandoned her. He was probably back in the Southern Kingdom over her already.

All the noise from the tents and makeshift taverns throughout the camp made it hard to tell if they had been discovered and chased.

"Come on. I think we're almost to the edge of the camp," Ward dragged her forward.

This place did not look or feel like the Northern Kingdom. It seemed like another world, as though they were in a Nomen City.

With her hand tightly in his, Yuliah knew he would never let go. Why though? She wasn't sure but held on tighter. Ward did not seem like a complicated man. He sounded sincere in wanting to help her. She trusted him at this point that he would not sell her.

They raced from tent to tent, dodging guards and hiding in the shadows, until finally the last row of tents could be seen up ahead.

Ward's eyes scanned from side to side but spotted two Nomen guards headed in their direction. He dragged Yuliah to the nearest tent and pushed her through the drapes. Ward threw her onto the bed. "Get under the blanket NOW," then jumped in with her.

"What are you doing?" Yuliah pushed him away as he tried to climb on top of her. The color drained from his face as he pinned her arms down.

"The Nomens saw us. Pretend that we're doing it," he pulled the blanket over them both.

Yuliah rolled her eyes as he squeezed himself between her legs. "Are you serious?" It was so wrong in so many ways. She couldn't believe the things she had to do with Ward today.

"Yes, do it now!" His head turned back towards the tent, drapes. "They're coming."

"Dammit," she's going to have to go back to the Ethereal Flow and beg for forgiveness. It was the only way to survive. Life as a normal woman was not working out for her.

"NOW," he pinched her thigh.

"Ooouu... I mean OH MY... Oh my!" She paused and shrugged. What was she supposed to say? He gave her a weird look. "OH. You're sooo... BIG!" Yuliah screamed, her face flushed red. She looked at Ward who was holding in his laughter so hard he shook uncontrollably on top of her.

"Moan," he said under his gaging breath.

"No, I can't," her face turned hot. All of this had to be the most embarrassing thing she'd done, and Ward wanted her to do more? This man and his stupid ideas.

"If you want it to sound real. Moan. Our lives are at stake," Ward reminded Yuliah.

"Ahhhhh... Ooouu. Ahhhh.." Yuliah's eyes closed as Ward burst into chuckles on top of her. He even threw a hand over his mouth. Yes, it sounded terrible, but she tried. It was the best she could do.

"My Lord, are you alright in there?" A voice called from outside. "One of the breeders escaped with a man. We thought they might have passed by," the guard asked.

"Do not ruin my mood before I come out there and break your neck," Ward called out in a stern voice and pretended to shake the bed.

"My apologies," the Guards left. This breeding camp was for Nomen Lords and High Ranking Officials only. Anyone in a tent was either a Lord or Official.

Ward waited until they could no longer hear the guard's footsteps before he burst out laughing.

"I'm glad you find this whole thing funny," Yuliah broke into a smile with him. It was pretty ridiculous. Now that she thought about it. From their escape to this moment. Yuliah shook her head.

"You should have heard yourself," he laughed even louder. "You sounded like a dying cat. I hope that's not what you sound like during," Ward paused, as he gazed down at Yuliah.

Yuliah's smile disappeared, and her mind fizzled as her eyes wondered further into his.

Suddenly he looked away, "I'm only teasing you," he got up. "I just wanted to see if you laugh. You're always so serious." Ward pulled Yuliah onto both feet. "We should get going."