Chapter 8

"Hold still," Kayla lectured.

Delicately, Kay was wiping dried blood and dirt off Aless bare back. After about six months of captivity, in which Aless was beaten regularly by Dominic's men, Kayla had become quite adept at cleaning wounds. The blood flaked off easily enough and the cool water Dominic had sent to the room helped sooth Aless' flaming cuts and bruises. Seeing Aless wince, Kay felt for her friend, but also thought that she was a fool.

"Aless, why don't you just agree?" Kay asked softly.

Bracing for her friend's response, Kay wrung the cloth out in a spare bowl.

"Seriously?" Aless scoffed.

The whole time of her beating, Aless had replayed the months before their capture. She knew that in those months there had to have been clues she missed. Someone or something that was tied to this mess. There had to be. Aless and Kay couldn't have been chosen at random. Yet not matter how many times, Alessandra reviewed those months, she couldn't figure out who or what had caused them to be targeted. Her gut reaction was to blame Bal, but her instincts told her that, even after what he did, he wouldn't have let this happen.

"I am your best friend," Kay said. "I'm only saying this out of concern. Your body can't and shouldn't take much more than this. If you'd just agree, you'd be spared this suffering. You would get a bed to sleep in, clean clothes, showers, and you won't get punished for saying no."

"Clean showers, more food, a warm bed…yes, I'd get all that, but I would be suffering even more. I would have to share his bed and that means that he would win. And do you really think he would be kinder to me if he gets to sleep with me? It would be worse. He would have what he wants, so there would be no reason to be kind. Can you even imagine what he would be like in the bed?"

Saying nothing, Kay turned her head. Curious about why Kay was so quiet, Aless turned her head and saw Kayla blushing. Grabbing Kay's hand, Aless felt her jaw fall open.

"You have thought about it!" she gasped.

"Only once...or twice. You have to admit he is really hot. And he's very powerful. I mean what if its like a romance story, where he seems heartless and cruel, but the right woman can help…

"Kayla! He's selling us as slaves to other people!"

"I know! Don't you think I know that? I felt bad about thinking about it, but I'm not going to lie. If he asked me to sleep with him in exchange for that stuff, I would."

"What?"

Aless could not believe what Kay was telling her. Her skin crawled and the very image of Kayla with Dominic made her feel sick to her stomach.

"Why should I suffer if I could easily be more comfortable and cleaner for something as simple as sex?"

"He would be winning then!"

"See! It's not about sex for you! It's about your competitive streak."

"I do not want my first time to be with him!"

A tense silence filled their room. Suddenly Kayla started laughing as she cleaned Aless's sore back.

"What?" Aless snapped.

In the near darkness, her Sǐwáng Moon eyes glowed.

"I just forgot you were still a Cąȶ's Child, a virgin."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing! Nothing…I just forgot…no wondered you don't want to be with him…"

"My first time is supposed to be with a guy I love or at least like, not an asshole who's blackmailing and selling me."

"The first time is never great anyways so why not just get it over with?"

"Kay…"

The very idea made Aless feel sad. She knew it technically wasn't a big deal, but….

"Fine…I won't push it anymore…I'm just saying you could help both of us if you wanted. I mean he wants you so bad he would probably give us both better rooms. Its fine though. We shouldn't be here much longer. I can live on the floor couple more days or weeks…or months…"

"Kayla…"

Kayla said nothing, standing and walking back over to her usual spot. She lay down and closed her eyes. In truth, Kay didn't want Aless to share a bed with Dominic. The idea made her sick, but she was more sickened by the hole they were living in. The sparse meals, the filth, and the suffering were wearing down on her. Rolling over, Kay couldn't look at her friend's form. Every time she was forced to clean Alessandra's wounds, she could see how thin Aless had gotten; how her once supple and luminous skin now was taut and dull. It hurt Kay to see her beautiful friend deteriorating. Why didn't Dominic want her, Kay, instead? Why did everyone want Aless?

Alessandra watched her friend with guilt pulling her heartstrings. The last couple months Kayla slept a lot to make the time pass by faster. She wanted to protect Kayla and wanted her to not suffer so much. Maybe Kay was right and Aless could help both of them by being with Dominic. Heavy weight rested on Aless's chest. She could probably suck it up and say yes. The first time was never fun anyways, so…. An image of Dominic kissing up her knee from the first day they met filled Aless's mind. His liquid gold eyes ravenous and cruel. The touch of his hand like velvet covered steel. Shaking her head, Alessandra thought she was going to throw up; although, she wasn't sure if it was from the pain in her back or the memory of that close encounter. Maybe giving into Dominic would be easier, but she couldn't Aless wouldn't just be losing to him, she'd be losing her own self-respect.

Crawling over to Kay, Aless watched her friend sleep.

"I'm sorry, Kay," Aless whispered. "I wish I was strong enough to do as you say, but I'm not. I hope you will forgive me."

Stretching out flat on her stomach, a very uncomfortable position, but the only one she could sleep in with her lashes, Aless tried to sleep. Sleep didn't come easily and, when it finally came, it was fitful. Ever since they arrived at Dominic's slave center, Aless had dreamed of Three-Eyed Cąȶ stories she had heard as a child.

In one dream she had that night a large cat approached Alessandra as she stood in a lush green field surrounded by rolling hills. The cat stood out not only because of its massive size but because it did not belong in such an environment. Slinking towards her, the cat appeared as if was going to pounce; its multiple tails flickering in overlapping circles and swishes. Through the tall grass, Aless could see it circling her, its bright eyes flashing two different colors. Its left eye was a bright, but pale green and its right eye was bright, pale gray. What was even more strange about theses eyes were that they appeared intelligent, not house pet intelligent but human intelligent. Suddenly it leapt at Aless, knocking her on to her back. It stood over her with its paws on either side of her body, making escape impossible. Unable to scream or move, Aless stared into its intelligent eyes. Then it seemed to smile at her.

A gently stroking of her hair woke Alessandra. Not moving a muscle, she pretended she was still sleeping. The hand continued to stroke her hair then it ran down her bare back, grazing her fresh wounds. Her back muscles twitched in sharp little stabs of pain and Aless knew that he knew she was awake. Clutching her shirt to her chest, Aless sat up with significant effort. Kay continued to sleep undisturbed.

Blandly, Aless stared at Dominic who sat crossed legged next to her.

"Did you sleep well, my Ale?" he purred.

"Not especially," she replied flatly.

"Were you dreaming of me?"

"No, of cats."

"Really?

"Yes. I think there was a big cat in the last one, but I don't really remember."

"I see."

"If you have come to offer again, my answer is the same."

Smirking, Dominic enjoyed how Aless cut to the point. The attitude with which she did it, however, made him want to smack her across the face.

"I was going to, but I won't since you have already answered."

"Another beating then?"

"No, you get a pass for the next week."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Relieved, Aless could have cried in happiness. Her body hurt more than she would ever admit. All she wanted was for the pain to stop. She would give almost anything for the pain to stop. Then Aless began to wonder why she was getting a pass. It was not Dominic style and why did he specifically say for the next week.

"Why?" she asked cautiously.

"Can't I decide to be kind for no reason?"

"No, you can't. You always have a reason, Dominic."

Drawing in a breath, Dominic closed his eyes and let out a low hum. He loved when she said his name and she said it so rarely. Disgusted, Aless resisted her desire to turn away. If she did, Dominic would only grow angry and then he could change his mind about punishing her.

"I will tell you the reason if you say my name again."

"I am tired. Could we not play games?"

Hand lashing out, Dominic grabbed Aless by the hair and dragged her to him. Deciding her shirt was more important than her hair, Alessandra clung to it, maintaining her modesty. Hardening, Dominic's eyes told Aless she had pushed her luck too far.

"You think I am playing games, my Ale?"

"No, I do not. I just spoke without thinking."

"Something you do quite often."

Wincing, Aless could feel Dominic twist his hand in her hair, pulling her follicles tighter.

"Dominic, please, that hurts."

"Say my name again."

Hesitating, Aless didn't want to but Dominic grip on her hair was steadily becoming worse.

"Dominic, please."

Releasing her, Dominic observed Aless's fresh wounds as she scrambled back a safe distance.

"Now ask me nicely why you are free from punishment for one week," he instructed.

Lowering her eyes to the floor, Aless opened her mouth when he spoke again.

"Look at me when you do it."

Grinding her teeth, Alessandra raised her chin proudly, looking at Dominic as she spoke.

"Why, Dominic, are you sparing me for this week?"

"Good question. And the answer is simple. I need you to heal up nicely because the buyers are coming."

"Oh…"

The feeling inside Alessandra's chest was confusing. Part of her was excited as if anticipating their arrival; another part felt scared and anxious at the prospect; and final part felt inconsolably sad. Almost lovingly, Dominic slid his hand under her chin, cradling it gently. The way her silver eyes wavered in the near darkness made him think of the winter moon's cold touch. As a child, Dominic had loved to stand in the field behind his family's home, barefoot on the frosted, hard ground with his toes burning in hot numbness as he stare up at the moon, bathing his bare chest and legs in its icy light. Alessandra's gaze always reminded him of those nights. It was only in the bone aching cold that Dominic felt the heat of his body as he never did in the blazing sun.

"Do not fret, my Ale," he cooed. "We still have this time together."

Narrowing her eyes, Alessandra felt her tumbling emotions straighten into hate and resentment. Behind her, Kay moaned in her sleep. Stomach tightening, Aless's hate broke into guilt. Taking a deep breath to build courage, Aless decided that she should at least try to help Kay.

"Dominic, I will never sleep with you," she stated bluntly.

"That is to be seen," Dominic smiled calmly.

"I won't…but can you still find some way to make our living conditions better?"

Cocking his head to the side, Dominic gave Aless an amused expression.

"What do you mean?"

"With the buyers coming, wouldn't it be better that Kay and I are in good condition?"

"Hence, why I am not going to have you punished."

"Yes, but even still, it is dark and dirty in here. Kay and I have not seen real light in several months. It may be too much for us to be out in real light the day the buyers come, and we will look unhealthy and…"

"What are you asking of me, my Ale?"

Pausing, Aless hated his smug face.

"Please, Dominic, may we move to better quarters so that we may heal and look better to the buyers."

"For the buyers?"

"Yes…"

Cackling, Dominic had known Aless would break. A spoiled girl like her could only stand such terrible conditions for so long. The truth was all the slaves had been moved into slightly better cells weeks ago, but Dominic insisted Aless stay where she was in the hopes that she would break.

"What if I were to say no?"

"No because I am asking or no because I am asking without offering sex?"

"Because I am the Master and I do not feel you deserve nicer accommodations."

Irritation made Aless skin itch. Sucking it up, Aless got on her knees, her back stiff in resistance. Highly pleased, Dominic crossed his arms, practically glowing in delight.

"I understand. Then I will stay here, but could you please move Kayla to a nicer room. I will accept your decision, but Kay shouldn't suffer because of me. She has been nothing but obedient," Alessandra begged.

Caught off guard, Dominic found himself speechless. How could this stupid girl beg for her friend but not for herself? Was she that self-deprecating? Was she that stubborn? Or was she merely playing the martyr in order to confuse him?

"Do you think you are a saint, my Ale? Pretending to plea for your friend? We both know you are just acting to gain sympathy from me," Dominic snarled.

He hated fake women. Without a word, Aless placed her hands on the ground, forming a small triangle with her fingers, then touched her head to the floor visible in that triangle. Hating herself, Aless did not move, maintaining her position.

"What is this?" Dominic scoffed.

"Please, Dominic," she whispered. "Please, help Kay."

"What will you do if I agree? What will I get from it?"

"Not sex, but I will behave. I won't give you or your men a hard time."

"It's little late for that now, since you know you won't be punished until the buyers come."

"What else do you want?"

Contemplating his options, Dominic let Aless stay in her begging position. Tension crackled in the air as Aless held her breath.

"Fine, I will agree but only if you pay homage to me as your master."

Sitting up, Aless raised an eyebrow.

"How am I to do that?"

"You shall kiss my…"

Breaking in, Aless laughed.

"Please don't say your ring."

"Is that behaving?"

His voice cut through the air like a heated blade. Flinching, Aless quickly apologized, bowing a second time, then sitting on her heels. Unbuttoning his shirt, Dominic exposed his chest. On the end of his sternum, a circular tattoo gleamed against his skin. The tattoo, made with black, blue, and gold ink, looked like waves caught inside a glass ball that had sunlight reflecting off it. Based on its placement, Aless knew it was a hallye, or circumcision tattoo. All the boys in her high school had them as, like a dolae marked a young girl entering puberty, the hallye marked a young man entering puberty. The hallye coincided with the time a young man went through his ceremonially circumcision.

"You shall kiss my hallye," Dominic said solemnly. "Every day or whenever ever I command it as homage to me as your master."

"A little obvious in what it suggests," Aless thought spitefully, but bit her tongue.

"Is that all?" Aless asked flatly.

"For now. Do you accept my terms and knowing this is just for your friend to get better quarters and that you will remain here?"

Without hesitating, Aless nodded.

"Then come, my Ale. Pay your master homage."

Weakly, Alessandra stood. Body aching and stiff, she trudged over to Dominic, whose eyes gleamed in sadistic apprehension. He stayed seated, forcing Aless to lower herself to the ground and kneel.

"Look at me as you do it," Dominic ordered.

Digging her fingers into the ground, Aless made her face remain emotionless. The bite of the rocks and dirt on her fingers helped Aless stay stoic. Holding his gaze, Aless leaned forward and brush her lips against Dominic's hallye. Quickly, she tried to pull back, but Dominic caught her by the back of the neck.

"That was not a kiss, my Ale. That was barely a brush of your lips," his voice was soft and deadly. "Pay your master proper homage."

Alessandra wanted to throw up on his hallye. Instead, with his assistance, Aless leaned forward again. This time Aless kissed the hallye delicately, but for a prolonged time, all the while with her eyes meeting Dominic's. A small nod of his head told her she could stop and Aless immediately pulled back, resisting the urge to wipe her lips clean. Standing, Dominic began to leave.

"Wait, you said," Aless cried out.

"I know what I said, my Ale. Someone will be by shortly to get Kay and put her in a nicer room. I always keep my word. Make sure you keep yours."

The door slammed shut behind him and Aless sat in the near darkness. Quivering, she wished to just tear her lips off. Soft snoring reminded Aless of why she did what she did. For Kay. It was for Kay.

Good to his word, men came in less than an hour and roosted Kayla from her sleep. They told her they were given orders to let her shower and then take her to new quarters. Confused but hopeful, Kay followed, giving Aless a sidelong glance. Then Aless was alone. Dominic came that night and she was required to kiss his hallye again. They sat across from each other afterwards for over an hour, neither speaking. After Dominic left, Aless slept, but she dreamed of the large cat again. Early in the morning, Dominic woke her and demanded his homage. Then he returned with lunch and dinner. After three days of this pattern, Dominic finally sighed in annoyance.

"Why do you do this, my Ale? Why do you resist our desires?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You obviously want me. You obviously hate living in such terrible conditions. Why do you make yourself suffer?"

"I do not want you, Dominic. I do hate living in these conditions, but we made a deal and I won't mess it up for Kay."

"Do you really care about Kay that much? Is she your lover?"

Laughing roughly, Aless shook her head.

"Is that what you think, just because I won't share your bed? Kayla is my best friend since I was five. She has been there through everything and she means more to me than a sister would. So yes, she does mean that much to me. She is the only person I have ever been able to count on. So, I would do anything for her."

"I see."

Standing, Dominic grabbed Alessandra by the arm. Squeaking in protest, Aless tried to pull free.

"Stop that," he barked. "It is time you bathe."

"What?"

"The buyers come in five days. You need to be clean and rested. The rest of the slaves have been recuperating for the last two weeks, so you need to catch up."

"Two weeks?"

In disbelief, Aless stopped her struggling, allowing Dominic to drag her out of the room into the labyrinth of hallways.

"I don't understand," Aless said. "You made me a deal that Kay could be in a nice room and have better treatment. Why would you offer me that deal if you already had given everyone else the same thing?"

"I didn't offer you that deal. You offered me that deal."

"What?"

"You offered me that deal. It was your idea and I accepted."

Digging her heels in, Aless bubbled in anger.

"You lied to me!"

"I did not."

"You let me believe that it was the only way that Kay could have better living conditions!"

"You assumed that. I simply benefited from the deal."

"You could have told me that you were going to move us both to better rooms."

"I didn't have to tell you anything. You always seem to forget that I am the master, not you."

"Well, screw our deal then! It's over!"

Stopping short, Dominic swirled around, placing his face very close to Aless as his free hand clamped around her neck.

"I do not tolerate broken deals or promises, my Ale," he hissed.

Pure malice poured out of every pore of Dominic. His eyes were hard and bright, terrifying in their intensity. Frozen, Aless could not even move her toes.

"Whether or not you were going to be moved does not matter, because we struck a deal. A deal can never be broken. Do you understand that?"

Aless couldn't even think of a reply. Every instinct she had was crying out for her to run away. But she couldn't.

"Do you understand that?" he repeated.

His fingers dug into her neck, making her squeak. Nodding her head, Aless didn't trust her voice.

"I will give you this one warning, my Ale, if you ever break a promise or a deal with me, I will…"

"Kill me?"

Smirking, Dominic's face twisted in cruel amusement.

"No, I will not kill you. I will kill Kay. I will make you watch as I slowly and methodically break every bone in her body then let her die from shock."

Gulping, Aless swallowed a mouthful of bile that had risen from her stomach. It scorched her mouth and throat, but she dared not say anything.

"Do you believe me?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Good."

Jerking her forward, Dominic strode down the hall. Momentarily, Aless was too stunned to resist or speak her mind. The idea of seeing Kayla broken and dying was too much to handle. And it would be all Aless's fault. Half shuddering, Aless tried to think about something else. Beneath his hand, Dominic felt her suppressed shudder. With his back to her, he smiled. Good. She wouldn't test him, although it was tempting to kill Kayla anyways. The blind devotion that Aless gave her friend annoyed him for some reason. Yet if he killed her then he could not sell her, and Dominic was always first and foremost a businessman.

Throwing open a door, Dominic pushed Aless inside. It was the shower room from her first day there.

"Shower. I can't have your filth dirtying the new room," he ordered.

Walking to the shower, Aless turned back to see Dominic watching.

"I don't have a change of clothes," she said. "Do you wish for me to walk around naked?"

"I wouldn't mind that."

"Okay, but then your men shall see me too as you parade me down the hallways."

Growling, Dominic left. Grateful that bluff worked, Aless began to shower. It had literally been months since she last bathed. The exact number of months, Aless didn't know, but it had been far too long. It took almost the full bar of soap to scrub the dirt and waste off her body. Luckily, Dominic had given Kay cloths to wash Aless's wounds and Kay and Aless had saved them to clean their private parts. Neither wanted to get an infection from being dirty, especially during their menstruation. In fact, during their menstruations, Aless acted up on purpose just to have extra cloths for cleaning. Underneath the grime and filth, Aless discovered her skin was still soft, even if she had lost significant weight. Her dolae stood out against visible hip bones that jutted from her skin like broken bones. Unattractive, she thought.

Washing her hair took almost as long as washing her body had. She had to scrub it until her scalp was almost raw. Then she had to comb it the best she could with her fingers. Large clumps and strands came out as she impatiently attempted to get rid of the mass of tangles. By the time she was done, Aless could have sworn the hair ball she collected was the size of a small dog. Somehow during all this the hot water never ran out. Aless couldn't imagine what Dominic's water bill must look like. As she turned off the water, the clearing of a throat told her Dominic was back. Standing at the edge of the shower, Dominic was bare chested.

He appraised her as she turned to face him, displeased with how thin she had gotten. It was her own damn fault for being so stubborn. Still she was a sight. Not traditionally or blatantly beautiful like the girl Kayla, but subtler and mesmerizing like the moon. A cool beauty. Holding up fresh clothes, he crooked a finger at her. Stiffly she approached, weary of his free hand.

"Pay homage to your master," he said soberly.

"May I dress first?" she asked only partly optimistic.

"No. Homage for your clothes."

Jutting her jaw around, Aless thought about refusing. He already said he wasn't going to punish her this week, so what could he do to her? Her thoughts of resistance were short lived because, as she thought about how he couldn't physically punish her, Aless remembered what he had just said about breaking their deal. Sighing, Aless closed the distance between them, placing her hands on his waist, then kissed his hallye. Petting her hair, Dominic sneered. She was so tiny and short that she didn't even need to bend over. His hallye was only marginally below her mouth.

"Good, now get dressed. Your skinniness is disgusting," he said.

Throwing the clothes at her, Dominic enjoyed her offended expression. Dressing as fast as she could, Aless didn't want her body exposed to him more than necessary. Once clothed, Aless followed Dominic back into the halls. Soon the hallways looked familiar. Swiveling her head this way and that, Aless attempted to recall where they were. When they passed by a hand engraved door, she knew. That door led to Dominic's chambers. It was trick. He was moving her into his chambers against her will! Sensing her panic, Dominic laughed.

"Do not flatter yourself," he said. "You do not deserve my chambers yet."

Passing by his room, Dominic stopped one door down.

"This is your new room," Dominic informed her.

"So I don't deserve your room, but I do deserve the room next to yours?" she scoffed.

"My room offers more than just regular comfort."

"Yeah, it offers more suffering," Aless thought.

Escorting her inside her new living quarters. They were simple, but clean, with a small sink and mirror on the left wall, a single sitting chair next to the sink, and a full bed against the far wall. A bed. A real bed. Aless thought that she would faint with joy. The ghost of smile flickered across Aless's face and Dominic couldn't breathe. Something he did made her smile. A strange warm sensation edged through his body. It was nice.

"Go rest," Dominic said.

His tone was almost kind. Without needing to be told twice, Aless went to the bed and lied down. It felt heavenly after months on hard ground with chains.

"You will be unchained as long as you are in here or with me. If anyone else takes you out of this room for whatever reason, you will be chained again. If you try and break out, you will be chained to the bed for the remainder of your stay with me," Dominic said. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dominic."

"Good. Then rest up. The buyers will be here in five days."

The day the buyers came, Aless and Kayla were dragged to the showers again and scrubbed down hard. Their hair was combed, and they were given make-up to apply. The guards watched them with scrutinizing eyes. They criticized their make-up and hair so many times Aless finally threw her mascara at one of them.

"Then you do it!" she snapped as he ducked.

The other guard chuckled but said nothing. Neither of the guards made another comment about their make-up. Grumbling, Alessandra practically chucked the make-up back to the guards. She looked around for her clothes only to discover they were gone. She was standing a black bra and boy shorts that they had given her before the shower.

"Where are our clothes?"

"You don't need them. The buyers like to see all of what they are buying so they don't think we are hiding any deformities or weaknesses," the guard she threw the mascara at, whose name was Jan, smirked in vindictive pleasure.

Kayla's jaw fell open and she stared horrified at the men. Grinding her teeth, Aless thought that it was something Dominic would do. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Alessandra straightened her back and jutted out her jaw. She would take it with pride. Her body was nice enough, even if it was emaciated at the moment, and nothing that important was being exposed. Kay, on the other hand, slouched her shoulders and pouted silently.

Leading them out the doors and down the hall, the men took Aless and Kay in the direction of the room in which they had first met Dominic. Talking loudly the men seemed too distracted to notice the girls fully. Aless looked around and found herself itching to run. They had left her chains off, except for the ones around her wrists. It was the perfect time. Kayla saw the glint in her friend's eyes and shook her head, but Alessandra didn't pay attention. When they reached the intersection with the next hall, Aless sprinted to the left. Letting out a heavy sigh, Kayla watched as the two guards tripped over themselves to follow Aless. Suppressing a laugh, Kay waited patiently for their return.

Grinning Aless felt free as she tore down the hall, her bare feet hitting the hard tile floor with loud smacks. Her pursuers were slow and kept tripping over each other. If it had been a movie, Aless thought her two guards would be comic relief. She turned left, then left, then right, and then left again. If she could find her way to a door, Aless would be scot-free. Then she could run until she found help and come back for Kay, for she knew that Kay hadn't followed. Kay never did. Her promise to Dominic had fled from her mind.

A door came into view and Ale suppressed her yip of glee. There would be time to celebrate when she was free from Dominic's reach. Suddenly one of the guards lunged at her from another passage that intersected hers. Jumping, Aless barely managed to avoid him, but her feet slid from under her as she landed on the smooth tile, sending her skidding across the floor, burning her outer right thigh.

Coming to a stop, Alessandra winced in pain and went to stand when someone slipped a hand under her arm, gently helping her up. Aless's stomach dropped as she looked into the gray green eyes. The man in front of her was tall with a medium build, shaved head and bright gray-green eyes. His eyes had gold flecks around the pupil. Tattoos covered most of his body. Both arms sported decorative and ceremonial tattoos, two of which were gotong. The gotongs were only the size of a sand dollars and were hidden skillfully among his shoulder tattoos. One rested on the front of each shoulder where the collar bones and shoulders joined. They were cream colored but outlined in black so they blended into the rest. Why did he disguise his gotong? She wondered.

"In a rush to go somewhere, lassie," he chortled in a very heavy Alᵫmdaun accent.

"Home, actually. If you wouldn't mind letting go of me, I'll be on my way," Aless smiled.

Batting her eyes, Alessandra gave him her best smile. Carefully, she tried to pull her arm free, but his grip tightened. It was not painful, but firm and unmoving. His gray-green eyes took in her wrist chains and his expression became curious.

"Looks to me like you are a slave…."

"No, no…I'm the athletic trainer here. Hence the running...."

"Hmm, looked more like you were running away."

"Running away? No…never…I was giving the guards their daily exercise. They are very lazy here, but, now that I have, I really should be going."

"Don't listen to her!" one of the guards called.

Like the fat load that he was, the guard stood panting and leaning against a wall.

"She's a lying bitch!"

The man raised his eyebrow at Aless, and she smile innocently. Making the crazy sign with her free hand, Aless rolled her eyes. Chuckling, the man looked back at the sad excuse for guards.

"Are you a lying bitch, lassie?" he purred to Aless.

"I most certainly am not! I am a very honest bitch!"

Beaming at her, the man's chest shook. Aless noticed then that despite not being "hot" or even traditionally handsome, there was something attractive about him. It wasn't his facial features, but some kind of aura he possessed. His nose was prominent and slightly hooked. His lips were somehow pouty without being feminine. His jaw line was distinct and masculine, just like his cheek bones. Blushing Aless turned her face away from him. It was his crooked smiled that turned his average, but masculine face into something attractive. When he smiled his aura seemed to intensify like a super charged magnet

"What seems to be the problem, gents?" he called to the guards.

Walking slowly towards them, the guards were plum faced from exertion and embarrassment. If the other guards heard that they had almost lost a little girl, especially the Master's favorite, they would never hear the end of it.

"She is an escaped slave," one guard snapped. "Sir."

He added the sir quickly when the other guard elbowed him hard in the ribs. They were finally close enough to see the man holding Aless and they became nervous. Both kept their eyes low and started speaking very respectfully. Aless minutely perked up at their change in behavior. They were only that respectful to Dominic.

"We were taking her to the show room, sir, and she escaped. It was our fault because we should have had all her chains on. Please forgive the inconvenience."

"All her chains?"

The man looked at Aless again and she played up her big moon eyes by widening them and blinking innocently.

"Yes, sir. This one has been locked down with chains on her wrists, feet, and neck. We even have had to use a muzzle."

"A muzzle? Do you bite, lassie?" he inquired in a silky patronizing tone.

"Only if they go near my mouth," Ales answered just sweetly.

"What happens if I go near your mouth?"

"Do you want to test it?"

This time Aless made sure she smiled so all her teeth were exposed. The man paused, thinking about it. As he did, his eyes sharpened. With a talent he had been born with, the man took in every detail of the young girl, from the unnatural thinness of her face to the fading raw marks on her neck, ankles, and wrists and the tender swelling of her left wrist. A broken wrist. Set, but not fully healed due to repeat rebreaking.

"Another time I think."

"Oh, you're a smart one!"

Easy to laugh, the man patted Aless's head and handed her over to the guards. This time they clasped anklets on. Both apologized again as they roughly slipped a muzzle on Alessandra.

"Is that really necessary?" he asked the guards curiously as they fastened the muzzle on.

"She is the hardest of our slaves to contain, sir. It may seem like we are over doing it, but I don't even know why the master has kept this one around. She doesn't seem worth the trouble. Just on the trip here she broke two noses, gave one man a concussion, and another one stitches."

Impressed, the man gave Aless an approving wink. Unsure of what to make of this man, Aless blinked rapidly.

"We have much better slaves available in the auction then her. You shall see soon, sir."

They both half-bowed then yanked Aless away. She couldn't help but look back at the man. It was then that she noticed a group of men should behind him, watching the whole scene quietly. She had been so distracted by the strange man that she hadn't even noticed them. His presence was so captivating that it caused everyone else to be hidden in the shadows of his aura. The man winked again at Aless and she blushed periwinkle, turning her head forward.

As she trudged along her leg ached and burned from sliding on the floor. The men were cursing her for embarrassing them and for making them late. The master was going to be upset. Kayla was waiting for them in the same spot and she gave Aless a "I told you" look. Aless attempted to stick her tongue out but failed due to the thick muzzle.

Dominic was already waiting in the auction room for them with the other slaves. His eyes appraised the girls as they walked in and took their places in line with the rest of the slaves. Dominic held Aless's gaze for a long moment after he saw the burn on her leg before starting to talk.

"Today is the day you have been expecting. The buyers are here, and they are looking to spend their money. While they are in here you will not speak. You will not move unless told to. You will be perfect little slaves. If not, your punishment will be beyond your worse possible dreams. Your handlers will do the talking since they know you best."

Aless could feel the weight of these words being directed at her. She chose to ignore that and kept looking straight forward. Dominic talked on and on until finally he stopped in front of Alessandra.

"Do we have an understanding?" he barked to everyone.

His eyes held Alessandra's.

"Yes," all the slaves replied, though Aless did less enthusiastically.

"What happened to your leg, Alessandra?" he asked bluntly.

"I slipped on the way here. Wet floor," she replied.

Her voice was muffled by the muzzle.

Dominic looked at her two guards and they quickly confirmed this. They didn't want to face his wrath if he knew she had almost escaped.

"Clean her leg up quickly! The buyers will be walking in the room in less than ten minutes!"

Alessandra's handler quickly cleaned her leg with a towel that had suddenly appeared. Her handler was named Kyler. He had been one of the men who spent the last few months beating her at Dominic's command. Aless loathed Kyler. He was a middle-aged loser with a paunch and ruddy complexion, always smelling of ice whiskey. Kyler worked quickly, but his touch was a little rough, causing her to wince as he worked. Kayla leaned towards her guard, a man named Riggs, and whispered something. Riggs glanced Aless's way and then back at Kay and asked her something. She drew a cross over her eyes with her hand, a sign she was swearing to Deity, and nodded. The man smiled and leaned back on his heels laughing.

When Aless's leg was clean, Kyler went and stood next to Riggs. Riggs leaned over, whispering to Kyler, whose ruddy complexion darkened, looking surprised. Eyeing Aless, he smiled sheepishly at first then slyly. Aless went to ask Kayla what they were grinning about when the doors flung open and Kyler yanked her chain, so she had to face forward.

The buyers filed in, talking so loudly the room echoed. They came in several groups, varying in size. It appeared as if people from all five continents were there. Thanks to her school textbooks, Aless recognized traditional clothing of Mᴔjin, Sᴔm, Nᵫlgᵫn, Sӕloun, and Alᵫmdaun. It was a mostly male dominated crowd; however, there were a good number of women among them. Some women appeared to be with the men and others were in their own groups. They all looked very wealthy, even if one or two groups looked like rednecks in designer suits. The man Aless had bumped into walked into the room, his eyes immediately finding Aless. For the first time her life, Aless couldn't hold eye contact. Something about him unnerved her as if he could see more than she wanted him to.

Once everyone was situated, Dominic grandly walked in. He had changed into a very expensive looking suit and was wearing his most mesmerizing smile. Aless hated to admit it, but Dominic was an impressive man. His gold eyes scanned the room studying each person and group in a split second. He was sizing them up and thinking about how to approach them.

"Ladies, Gentlemen," he purred, nodding regally to the audience. "It is a pleasure to see you here in our little home. I am sure tonight will be very beneficial to all of us.

"In front of you are a group of very diverse and very impressive boys and girls ranging from preteens to twenty years old. They are all healthy with no deformities or dangerous inbred disabilities or diseases. They come from a variety of backgrounds, but each has excelled in academics and athletics. Their a truly children their parents could be proud of."

Curling her lip under the muzzle, Aless thought how tactless it was of Dominic to compare a parent's pride to a slave buyer's desires.

"Many of you have attended my auctions before and know that I am all about pleasing my clients. You will find your accommodations are top quality as well as the food and beverages you may partake here. I, Dominic Dúcái, am always seeking to please my clients, for happy clients means good business."

Strolling from one side to the other as he talked, Dominic made sure to smile at each group leader individually, recognizing their presence.

"Part of being a good business man is also knowing what spikes my clients' interests. I know what type of slaves you all prefer, what age you all desire, and what you are willing to pay. But I also believe that I have gotten to know each of you on a more personal level."

Stopping in front of the tallest man Aless had ever seen, Dominic beamed.

"Hammond Apeulika, I know, enjoys risk fishing on the great Zhong Ocean."

Moving to a gorgeous woman, Dominic winked.

"Isabella Yìguó enjoys collecting rare animals as pets."

The woman giggled flirtatiously.

"And I could go on and on, but one thing that I know about all of us, myself, included, is that we hate to lose, and we hate to be bored. Therefore, I propose we add a little spice into our humdrum lives. I propose instead of our usual auction, we play a game."

The atmosphere changed from passive listening to sudden intrigue. Several of the men leaned forward, including the man from the hall. The women's eyes sharpened, and they watched Dominic intently. By their expressions, Dominic knew he had them hooked. Rich people were nothing but bored children. It was why they wasted millions on bizarre collections, love affairs, and criminal activities. Anything to get a high. Pausing dramatically, Dominic stood with his feet shoulder width apart, then continued. His hands fit loosely into each other behind his back.

"Each of these slaves comes from a different area around Mᴔjin. They are all well-tuned, physically and mentally fit. They are top of their classes in athletics, academics, or both. They are not weak-willed nothings that are already broken. They are more like the wild stallions of Sӕloun. It is because of this, these slaves are the superior game."

Waving his hand at the slaves behind him, Dominic flashed his teeth in barbaric grin. The clients now eyed each slave carefully.

"This game I propose will challenge us mentally, physically, and possibly financially, but it will provide a greater thrill than you have yet experienced. In this game, our prey is not something we hunt, kill, and eat, but something we hunt, break, and keep as ours. In this game, we will hunt the slaves."

A burst of murmuring broke from the tense audience. Some looked confused, others unsure, but more than half looked excited.

"What do you mean, we will hunt the slaves?" A frigid old man said.

He was surrounded by men who were a fourth of his age, but none possessed the power of presence that he did.

"I mean, Master Him, that when our week-long viewing has commenced, the slaves will be released. After seventy-two hours, we shall hunt them down. The challenge will be for us to catch them before they reach their homes. Once every slave is caught or reached their home the game is over."

"What about payment?"

"Very good question, Master Him. You will only pay for the slaves you catch. During this next week, you will be able to meet and examine each slave. The ones you believe you would like to buy you will place a bid on. This bid will only be paid if or when you catch that slave. If you change your mind or they are captured by another hunter, then you owe nothing."

"What if someone catches a slave we want?" Isabella Yìguó spoke up.

"In that case, you are allowed to steal the slave from your opponent, but under the understanding that you cannot harm in any way the other contestant. And you are not allowed to kill or maim slaves that you lost. That would be just poor sportsmanship. If you do kill a slave, by accident or otherwise, you will face severe fines and be disqualified from the game. I will be keeping close tabs on all the slaves, so please do not make the mistake of thinking you can catch or kill without paying. Another thing we all know is that I am not a man to be trifled with."

The room almost unanimously nodded in agreement. Scary, Aless thought.

"If you agree to these terms, we will proceed with the basic introductions of the slaves. If you object, then you may leave now. There will be no offense taken. Such competitions are not for everyone."

A brief silence fell before several groups stood and left. They were small in number compared to those who remained. As they left, Dominic shook their hands and told them a regular slave auction would be held in three months. Those who left seemed pleased with this and said nothing. Returning his attention to the crowd that remained, Dominic smiled coyly.

"Do we have any questions before we begin?" He asked

Isabella Yìguó raised her hand.

"Are we allowed to hire hunters, Mr. Dúcái? While I do enjoy a hunt, I am not as skilled as some of my companions, but I also hate to lose. Would it be acceptable for me to hire hunters to even the playing field?"

"I believe that is an understandable and reasonable request, Mistress Yìguó. Does anyone object to Mistress Yìguó request?"

No one spoke up. Some shook their heads no and so Dominic took this as consent.

"Yes, you may, but you must first run your hunters by me. You can understand that some available men are less than stable, and we don't want any accidents or to attract any unnecessary attention."

"Are you available for hire, Mr. Dúcái?"

The woman smiled and Aless thought of a vixen. Her stomach tightened and she thought she was going to throw up. Did that woman not know what kind of psycho Dominic was?

"I believe we could work something out, though I will be very expensive."

"I'm sure."

The woman practically purred and Alessandra couldn't control herself. She rolled her eyes obviously. Fortunately, the only person who noticed was the man from that hall. He stifled a laugh quickly.

"Wouldn't that give Mistress Yìguó an unfair advantage?" The man from the hall spoke up.

Leaning back in his chair, the man appeared bored. He didn't really care if Mistress Yìguó hired Dominic. He just like pulling the cat's tail

"Why?" Mistress Yìguó snapped.

Her eyes flashed resentfully and Aless realized the woman was nothing more than a spoiled child.

"Well, Master Dúcái did say he was going to keep close tabs on the slaves so we can't jip him, so doesn't that mean it will be easier for him to find them?" the man from the hallway explained innocently.

"That is a good point," Master Him said.

"If Mistress Yìguó and I can work out a deal, I will leave the monitoring of the slaves to my second in command, Mistress Noye. She is currently handling business in Sᴔm, so she could not attend," Dominic smiled coolly, but Aless saw the slightest tightening in the chords of his neck.

Aless knew that meant he was trying to hold back his temper. Dominic didn't like his character being called into question. Yet the name Mistress Noye sent a ripple through the crowd. Despite not knowing this Mistress Noye, Aless could that she was obviously well known by the crowd. Well know and feared? Or was it respect that Aless sensed?"

"Mistress Noye is acceptable," Master Him spoke for the crowd.

"Wonderful. It is settled then. Any other questions?"

No one spoke. Dominic nodded his head again and turned the floor over to the handlers. Each one spoke for a lengthy time about their charges. It surprised Alessandra that they went into such detail. Not only did they discuss their slave's physical qualities, such as hair, weight, age, etc., but they talked about their grades in school, which school they attend and planned to attend, their extracurricular activities, family life, social class, religion, allergies, and so on. Their descriptions were extensive and it further solidified Aless's belief that they had been watched for a long time before they were taken.

After an hour or so they finally reached Kayla and Alessandra.

"This one is named Kayla Huisӕ. She is eighteen years old, born in the Large Moon Month. Weighing in at 135 pounds, she about five feet four inches," Riggs said. "She is our resident beauty as you all can plainly see. Such beauty does come with a high-maintenance personality, but it is balanced by her submissive nature. Kayla comes from a very wealthy family and has been educated as well as anyone can. She has been raised strict Deitian and has no particular allergies to the current record.

"In high school she has managed above average grades and applied to several of top Mᴔjin universities. She has a good chance of surviving as long as she has her best friend with her, who is our next slave to be announced."

Kyler pushed Alessandra forward and cleared his throat. The eyes were all locked on Aless, giving her curious looks.

"Alessandra Yᴔsin. She is an eighteen years old, born on the last day of the Golden Moon Month. She is the only daughter of a single father. Her mother passed away when she was seven. She is a well above average student with one of the highest averages in her school. She also applied to top universities in Mᴔjin as well as a few international schools."

Out of the corner of her eye, Aless saw Kay's head snap around. Aless had never told Kay that she was applying to out-of-country colleges. There had never been the time and Aless had been sure she wouldn't get in. She had seen no point in upsetting Kayla, who had always planned on them going to a university together.

"You may be wondering about her chains and muzzle, but I assure you it is not just for show. Besides being one of the brightest here, she is by far the strongest fighter. Since she was ten, Aless has trained in Pakido. She will give anyone a run for their money. Aless is not afraid to fight back even if it means pain for herself. She is stubborn, bull-headed, strong, and loyal to a fault. Due to lack of parental supervision, she has never been educated in any particular religion. Her only allergy is to cashews.

"Alessandra is in great physical shape. While not as beautiful as her friend, Aless is still a young attractive girl. Not only is she attractive and intelligent, but she possesses great integrity and self-respect. So much so that she is the best candidate for someone seeking a true challenge for she has never been caught yet."

There was an odd silence as everyone appeared confused by what this meant. Even Dominic glanced over at us, his smile tight. Kyler beamed as he finished up.

"By this I mean that Alessandra Yᴔsin is still a Cat's child and worthy of a high price."