Traveling for over a week, the group cut across the country of Mᴔjin at a leisurely pace. Not wanting to attract unwanted attention, the drivers and men followed every law to the letter. Knowing that Mᴔjin was the second largest country in their world, second to Sӕloun, Aless estimated they had nearly crossed the breadth of the country. Unable to see signs or physical landmarks, Aless had no idea where they were. Aside from a few vacations she had taken before her mother died, Aless had never been more than five hundred miles from home. Sure, she talked about traveling the country and the world, but this was not what she had in mind. The closer they got to their destination, the less traffic and people noises Aless heard. On the day of their arrival, Aless could only hear the truck and, occasionally, birds. Air breaks sounded as the truck slowed and came to stop. Stretching, the men started talking animatedly. They were all sick of being stuck in the truck. Luke came over and grabbed Kay by the hair, leading her out of the truck. Both Kay and Luke looked back at Aless, with two very different expressions. Groaning, Celso twisted his back, filling the air with a gnarly popping sound. Crouching next to her, Celso unlocked the chains from the floor bolts, gathering them in his hands.
"Come on, princess," Celso half-smiled. "Master is expecting us."
Following Celso quietly, Aless didn't think she had the energy to fight him. Sleeping on a truck in heavy chains for such a long period of time had sapped her of her strength. A flicker of rebellious hope lighted her chest as they climbed down from the truck and Celso was forced to let go of her chains to step down. Yet it died almost instantly as Aless looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere. Thick woods, which somehow seemed manicured, stood as far as the eye could see. The truck idled on a long dirt pressed road in front of a massive stone building. The building stood about three floors high, much longer than it was tall, with crystal clean windows and an official appearance. It reminded Aless of a government building or a library. Despite its benign appearance, Aless's skin prickle with goose flesh. It was the windows. They shone in the noon sun, streak free and immaculate, but you couldn't see into them. They perfectly reflected the world outside, concealing the interior. Even as they drew closer, the windows did not show any of the interior.
"I don't think I want to go in there," Aless said through her muzzle.
"Too late for that, princess."
Giving her neck chain a smart tug, Celso lead Alessandra into the building. Splitting off from Kay and Luke in the grand entrance hall, Celso headed straight while Luke went right. Lining the hallway were hundreds of doors. It did not take long for Alessandra to lose track. Fifteen minutes passed and then Celso stopped at a pale blue door. Opening it, Celso led Aless into an expansive room with three drains in the center and shower heads lining each wall. Under the shower heads, each wall possessed a single roughly crafted bench that was screwed into the floor.
"I'm going to unchain you, princess, but only so you can wash up. You need to look clean for the Master's judging. Don't even think about running. There will be me and another guard outside the door and we'd hate to have to wash you ourselves."
"Okay," Aless nodded.
She was too tired to run, and the promise of a hot shower would have made Aless do almost anything. Standing still, Aless allowed Celso to unlock the bands on her wrists and neck without accosting him. The sound of the chains falling echoed around them in the large room as Aless's heart leapt in joy. She felt ten pounds lighter. Moaning, Aless rolled out her neck and right wrist. Her left wrist, held straight by the splint, was stiff and swollen, not as swollen as before, but still swollen. Leaving the room, Celso told Alessandra to stop wasting time and that he would be back in twenty minutes.
Stripping, Marie turned on the water, letting it hit her full in the face. Another moan escaped her lips. The hot water soothed the knots in her wrenched shoulders. Enjoying the hot water for about half the time given to her, Aless thought she could live in the shower. Finding soap and shampoo on the bench against the wall, Alessandra carefully washed her hair and scrubbed her body. It felt wonderful to be clean. Turning the water off, Aless rung out her hair as someone coughed behind her. Spinning on her heels, Alessandra saw Celso holding out a plush black towel. Attempting to cover her chest and between her legs, Aless didn't have the hands to grab the towel.
"Don't worry, princess. Nothing I haven't seen before," Celso said kindly.
Respectfully, he wrapped the towel around her, trying to give her some modesty.
"I left some clothes on that far bench. I didn't want them to get wet. You have five minutes to change."
Again, Celso left the room. The clothes he left for Alessandra was an off-white tunic styled dress with a rope belt. Drying off then pulling the dress on, Alessandra grimaced at the lack of proper undergarments. She contemplated grabbing her dirty ones, only to discover her dirty clothes had been removed from the shower. Returning a second time, Celso systematically placed the metal bands on Aless again, securing them to the chains. Apologetically, he slipped the muzzle over her face.
"If you didn't bite, you wouldn't need this," he said sadly.
"That's no fun," Alessandra half-heartedly teased.
"Come, princess," he said, somberly pulling Alessandra out of the room.
Working their way through the labyrinth of hallways, they walked in silence. They went up and down multiple flights of stairs until Aless could have sworn they were either going in circles or had left the building they had entered earlier. Finally, they reached their destination. Their destination was a room with eleven-foot-high doors, beautifully hand carved.
Going through the doors, Aless was greeted by the sight of at least nineteen other kids with guards. They ranged from ten to about twenty years old. All the kids looked haggard and scared. Kayla stood at the farthest end. Solemnly, Celso made his way to Kay and his guard, Luke. With everyone assembled, they stood there and waited for nearly thirty minutes. Stiffness started to set into Aless's legs. Bouncing from foot to foot, she wished they could just this over with. As if her thoughts had been heard, the large doors swung open. Footsteps reverberated in the air.
"Are they all here?" a cultured voice said.
Rolling her neck out, Aless decided not to look at who spoke. The sound of rustling material already told Alessandra that the other nineteen captives had turned to look. Kay murmured a barely audible wow, which tempted Aless to look. Clenching her fists, Aless determinedly fixed her gaze on the far wall. She wouldn't look.
Expensive calf-leather shoes clicked against the marble floors. Humming and whispering, the voice crossed to the center of the room.
"Welcome, my slaves," the culture voice said.
Rich and silky, the voice conjured in Alessandra's mind images of a snake hiding in fine silk or a cockroach nestled in a decadent dessert. Yet what troubled Aless about these images is that even though she knew the voice belonged to the snake/cockroach, she couldn't help but also imagine a charming aristocrat, one from all the romances Kay enjoyed watching. Is the speaker a cockroach or a disguised prince, Aless wondered. The conflicting images drove Aless crazy with curiosity until she couldn't help but look. Swiveling her head, Alessandra fixed her eyes on the speaker. Kay had been right. Wow.
Standing at six-two, the man's frame was lean and muscular, elegantly dressed in a black suit, silk black tie, and calf-leather shoes, all which Aless bet cost more than her car. Thick waves of obsidian black hair were slicked back on the top of the man's head, while the sides were cut short. Plastered on his face was a charismatic, winning smile that momentarily made Alessandra forget that the man was a slave trader. A splash of warm pleasure hit Aless torso at the first sight of his smile. Bewitched, Aless gaze traveled to his eyes, which caught her breath. Never had Alessandra Yᴔsin seen such stunning eyes. They were hard liquid gold with flecks of dark green and black around the pupils. Through these eyes, the man surveyed the captives. Carefully inspecting each captive with those powerful eyes, the man held his intoxicating smile in place. It was as he did so that Aless noticed the cold, calculating, and cynical cut of his eyes. The color of them distracted people from their feel and shape. They were not warm eyes, but frigid. This realization broke the spell of his smile and dazzling eyes. Taking a step back, Aless did not want to meet this man. He wasn't a cockroach or a snake. He was something much worse. Something she had never seen before. Her step back attracted the man's attention. Staring hard, the man met her eyes, domination in every wave of his gaze. Spine straightening, Aless met his energy with her own stubborn force. She wouldn't let him intimidate her. After a few minutes, the man smirked and started talking.
"I am Dominic Dúcái, your new master. You lucky few are chosen to be part of an important aspect of my business. You are to be my game pieces. I expect great profit from each of you, if I think you are worthy to stay. You only speak when spoken to. You do not act independently from instructions and do not try to escape. Your punishments will be severe," he said pleasantly.
His tone sounded as if he was a concierge welcoming guests. His words, on the other hand, felt like a loaded kahō. Letting the words hang heavy in the air, Dominic moved to the far end of the line. Clapping his hands, he beamed brightly at the captives.
"Great. Let's see what my men have brought me."
Starting at the opposite end of the line from Alessandra, Dominic took at least five minutes to inspect each captive. With nineteen other captives to view, the process took what felt like forever. Growing bored, Alessandra allowed her mind to daydream. She thought about all the ways she could heroically escape from the room, saving herself and Kayla. They would find the nearest law enforcement, who would storm the facility, freeing all the kidnapped children. Each scenario was more fantastic than the last, making the cold bite of the metal around her neck all the more frustrating. At long last, Dominic reached Kay and Celso gave Aless's neck chain a sharp tug. Sighing, Dominic inspected Kay with only mild interest.
"Another heavy stacked young girl," he said to Celso.
Violet, Kay fought the urge to wrap her arms around her chest.
"She is very beautiful," Celso offered.
"Yes, she is, but she is a little boring. Look at her tremble in fear."
It was true. Kay was trembling in fear. But who could blame her? Hadn't all the kidnapped kids trembled before Dominic? It was animal instinct.
"You will earn some good money for your looks," Dominic addressed Kay. "But do have anything else to offer?"
"What?" Kay stammered.
"Exactly."
Waving her off, Dominic yawned. Irritation tugged at Aless's gut. How dare he treat Kay as if she were a show pony, worth nothing but her looks. Kay was a smart, wonderful girl who…Aless's thoughts trailed off as Dominic slid her a side long glance. Grinning, Dominic laid his full charismatic power on Aless, who once again fleetingly forgot how wretched he was. The cruel gleam in his eyes awoke her and Aless narrowed her eyes in insolence.
"Is all that really necessary, Celso?" Dominic sighed.
His tone implied that he saw Aless as an overly dramatic child.
"Yes, sir. She is a very dangerous girl. She broke two men's noses, gave one a concussion, and bit another one so hard he needed stitches," Celso quickly said.
Aless's chest swelled with pride at her list of wounded. That would teach them to steal her from her house. Noticing the swell of her chest, Dominic's grin turned to a sneer.
"I cannot inspect her properly if she has that muzzle on. Remove it."
"Sir, I wouldn't advise that."
"Celso…remove it."
Turning sharp, Dominic's tone sounded a warning. Quickly, Celso fumbled to undo the muzzle. Pulling it off, he whispered into Aless's ear, "Behave. Don't be stupid." Jutting her jaw out, Aless continued to hold Dominic's gaze. First, Dominic's eyes roved Aless's body, taking in her injuries as well as her figure. Then he grabbed her chin painfully, forcing her head this way and that. The condescending smile he wore made Aless's insides boil in hate.
"You are beautiful also, but in a more understated way. I can see a strong, graceful bone structure and you obviously are not afraid of pain. That's good. That means you can be used in a variety of way. And despite the rough treatment, your skin is still soft."
His thumb slid over Aless's lips and his eyes challenging Aless. Biting her tongue, Aless said nothing, fighting against the urge to bit him. And she would have continued to resist the urge if he had not spoken again.
"You are a magnificent creature. Born to breed."
Running his thumb over her lips again, Dominic pushed the tip of his thumb between her lips. Coyly, Aless smiled, the picture of perfect innocence. Instantly Kay drew back, knowing that look could only mean trouble. Sensing danger, Celso opened his mouth to speak. Yet he was too late. As Dominic smiled victoriously, Aless bit down hard. Her teeth clamped down around the joint of his thumb, digging into the meaty area between his thumb and forefinger. Cursing, Dominic struck Aless with extreme force, but she only bit down harder. Two more skull rattling strikes fell before Aless became dazed and Celso wrestled her off Dominic. Blood gushed from the bite as Dominic cradled his hand, still cursing. Turning her head, Alessandra spit out a mouth full of blood, some dripping down her lips and chin. Several of the captives and captors shivered in disgust, including Kayla. Aless didn't notice, fixating on Dominic as she licked her lips, exposing her teeth in a primal challenge. No one moved. No one even dared to breath. Then Dominic laughed, grabbing Aless by the hair, wrenching her towards him. Making a noise somewhere between a growl and laugh, Dominic looked down at Aless then, to her and everyone else's surprise, he passionately kissed her.
Flailing, Aless tried to free herself from his grip. With a violent shove, Dominic released her. Falling back against Celso, Aless blinked stupefied.
"You are such a bitch! I love it!" Dominic roared in laughter.
He viciously pinched Aless's cheeks.
"Definitely a keeper. Good job, Celso!"
An hour later, after listening to Dominic talk endlessly about proper behavior and other such ridiculous topics, the captives were led from the room. Stopping Celso, Dominic grinned venomously as he took Aless's chains.
"I have a few more things to discuss with this slave," he said.
Bowing, Celso backed away, hiding his frown and discomfort. Marching out of the room, Dominic yanked Aless down the hall back into the labyrinth. His silence and aura of energy frightened Aless, though she would never admit it. Shortly, they reach a door made of fine cherry oak. Pushing her through the door, Dominic followed, shutting and locking the door behind him. Cowering on the floor where she had landed, Aless struggled with her chains. After her attack, Celso had switched her wrist bands so that they connected behind her back. Leisurely, Dominic walked to a sink and washed his wounded hand. Wrapping it fresh gauze, he hummed, appearing as if he had all the time in the world.
Maintaining her silence, Aless barely dared to breath. All the stories she had heard about criminals and slave traders told her that only bad things were coming. Behind her back, she continued to wrestle with the metal band in a futile effort to free herself. Strolling back to Aless, Dominic laid his hand on top of her head. Gently, he pet Alessandra. Flinching, Aless waited for a blow that never came. Her shoulders relaxed fractionally as he continued to stroke her hair. Then, as Aless found her anxiety lessening, Dominic wrapped his fingers in her hair and jerked Aless to her feet. Crying out, Aless instinctively tried to grab his hand, but the metal bands and chains prevented her. Her hands twitched in their bindings, pleading to be free.
Merely laughing, Dominic wrenched her dress up with his free hand. Paralyzed in terror, Aless felt his hand caress her inner thigh. With a flick of his wrist a long thin-bladed knife appeared. Effortlessly, Dominic threw Alessandra to the wood floor as she screamed.
Taking great pleasure in her fear, Dominic cackled.
"Scream all you want, my little beast. No one cares. They all work for me."
So Aless screamed again, hard enough to hurt her lungs as Dominic swooped down on her. Covering her mouth with his left hand, Dominic tutted at Alessandra, his right hand running the knife down her body. As the knife's tip ran between her breasts, down her stomach, and between her legs, Aless could only think of the terrible things that were blamed on the Three-Eyed Cąȶ, slavery, rape, mutilation, murder. Which would she suffer, aside from slavery? One, two, or all?
"I just love your smooth flesh."
Lifting her tunic higher, Dominic ran the blade over her dolae. Licking his lips, his expression became ravenous.
"It holds tattoos so well, like a perfect canvas. Your dolae looks almost new as if they ink is still fresh."
Running the knife down each side of her dolae, Dominic danced the blade tip across her hip bones, and down to her thighs.
"Your skin must hold scars very well too."
With his hand covering her mouth, Aless could do nothing by suck in air through her nose and pray to the Deity.
"Such fun," was all he said before he stuck the tip of the knife into Aless's inner left thigh, only two inches from her hip joint and groin muscle.
Alessandra's body convulsed. Chuckling, Dominic pinned her down, his weight practically crushing her. Holding the knife steady, Dominic dragged the blade horizontally an inch and half. Pulling the blade out, he repeated the process a second time, making a second horizontal cut a breath away from the first. Giving a muffled cry, Aless arched in pain. Simply laughing, Dominic repeated it a third time before placing the bloody blade on the ground by Aless's head. The hand on her mouth pressed down on her so that she had to turn her head and look at the blade. Violet blood reflected in the light of the room. Alessandra felt nauseous.
"Poor little beast," Dominic purred.
Still holding her down, he lowered his head to her knee, kissing it slowly.
"Let me make it all better."
Desperately, Aless tried to free her arms. The weight of his body and her body on her arms resulted in her efforts only being useless, except at wrenching her shoulders. Never had Aless been consumed with such panic. Even when Tyler or Bal had forced themselves on her, a part of Aless knew that if she had to, she could escape. She could beat them. Aless could not defeat Dominic. He was going to win at this game. His mouth was halfway up her thigh, spreading goose flesh with his tongue and kisses. Triumph blazed in liquid gold. Freeing her mouth, Dominic grabbed her neck lightly.
"No!" She immediately begged. "No!"
Her words only made him smile wider, moving his mouth up a fraction of an inch. Suddenly a loud banging made them both jump. Someone was knocking on the door. Snarling, Dominic glanced at the door, but kept his lips against Aless thigh. The banging continued.
"For Deity's sake, what?" Dominic roared.
"Sir," Celso's voice said through the door. "There is an emergency. One of the slaves is missing."
"What? How in Dìyù did a slave escape?"
His grip on Aless's neck reflected his growing temper. Choking, Alessandra struggled to breath.
"We don't know, sir. But, please, we need help finding him."
"Are you all that clueless?"
Seeing Aless's face, gasping for air, Dominic loosened his hold slightly.
"Sir, if the slave escapes the compound, he could go to the police.
"Damn it to Dìyù!"
Standing, Dominic threw the door open without even looking back at Aless. Rushing out, he barked orders for Aless to place in her holding cell until he called for her again. Seeing Celso in the doorway, Aless immediately tried to stand so her tunic would fall back into place, but she couldn't get her feet beneath her. Chagrin, Aless could not meet his eyes as her lower half of her body was exposed. Coming to her aide, Celso squatted next to Alessandra and tugged down her dress. Politely he averted his eyes as he did so until she was covered. The dried streams of blood from her thigh were not missed by Celso, even if he chose to say nothing. Lifting Aless by her shoulders, Celso adjusted her tunic one more time.
"You are one lucky princess," he muttered.
Going to the sink, Celso grabbed a dry cloth and medical gauze. Delicately, he wiped the blood off her thigh and clean the cuts. They were shallow and had already stopped bleeding. A memory of her father cleaning her scraped knee when she was six popped into Aless's head.
"How did a slave escape?" She managed to ask. I asked bewildered, still in shock.
Wrapping her thigh in the gauze, Celso coughed a little.
"Dunno…these things happen. One of the guards probably left his door unlocked."
Straightening, Celso wrapped an arm around Alessandra's shoulders. Encouraging her to walk, Celso guided her out of the room.
"Come on, princess. It's time to see your new quarters."