Chapter 29

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Who was the woman before me? The one who’s dark hair was twisted back elegantly? The one who’s face was done in the most amazing shades of make-up? She looked like a version of me, but I didn’t know her. She was beyond beautiful. She was to die for. Or maybe it was the drugs pumping through my system that had me ready to fuck my own self.

A long sigh left me as I continued to stare into the mirror. Fingers tracing down my neck had me slowly looking up. I met Julie’s eyes and she lowered next to my face to stare back at my reflection.

“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I feel so good. Maybe this isn’t such a bad thing.”

I didn’t return her smile or enthusiasm. Even drugs couldn’t numb out the reality of what I knew would happen once we started our march.

“I keep thinking about what you said. There will be famous people here. Famous. I wonder who it will be? Do you think I’ve heard of them?” “I don’t know. Have you heard of Rob Blaze? He’s a master here.” Julie’s eyes went wide and I could tell the expression was delayed.

Her drugs were starting to kick in, too. “Rob Blaze? No way.”

“You don’t want him as a master.”

“Fuck if I don’t. Rob Blaze?! He can do whatever he wants to me. I don’t care. I want him to pick me. I adore him.”

My head shook at her naivety. Why were looks or fame so important to people? And Julie wasn’t the only one. They all were. Everyone was so ready to bleed for love. They wouldn’t be staring up at their masters with adoration when he began peeling back their skin.

“Up!”

My pulse jumped, hitting with the force of a cannon. It faded out as everything began to blur back together. Julie was calming, too. We were turning into zombies with each second that past and I was happy for it. I

knew what was coming. I knew how we were about to be paraded before everyone and sampled like a fucking buffet. Well, the virgins wouldn’t have it as bad as me and Julie, but none of us escaped the greedy grip of the sadistic rich.

Julie’s hand came back and I took it as we headed through the door. Instinct had me jerking to a stop at the sight. Virgins stood in line for as far as I could see. The truth was sickening. In a sea of white silk chiffon, I was the beacon that screamed to the monsters for notice. I was the cheap—the impure—the expendable.

“Julie.”

She was going to have it so much worse than I was. For some odd reason masters wanted me, but her …

“Julie,” I said louder, pulling her to face me.

“Slave,” a male voice yelled. “Get in formation.”

“Julie please, listen to me. Keep your head down. Don’t …” I trailed off as I tried to put thoughts together. I was fading into haziness … and my fear was disappearing.

The line began to move and I knew I had to keep saying something, but the more worked up I became, the stronger the drug pulled me under. My head swayed and I blinked rapidly through the vertigo. A hand of one of the guards clamped on my shoulder and stayed there as we headed toward the large opening ahead.

Voices grew louder and clapping became deafening as one-by-one we poured into the brightly lit center. The opened space before the stage slowly began to fill up as each slave stood, making a long row. When it reached the end, another row began to form. Being the last slave, I stood at the opening, watching in a fog as men began to come down the aisles.

“Come, slave. Try to be steady.”

I reached for Julie as her fingers broke away and she began walking.

Back and forth I went from her to the man who was holding to me. Whatever I meant to tell her escaped my mind as I stayed focused on eyes that stared at me as if they held every secret of the world. “You’re kinder than the others.” I looked up at the familiar guard. “I know … you.”

He laughed under his breath. “You do. I’m the high leader, Lyle.”

“Yes,” I barely managed to get out. “I remember. I’m … not well.” “I know. Mr. Whitlock made sure you’d be taken care of tonight.

Your oil is special. Stronger than the others.”

Blinking began to feel like a chore. Lyle pulled me along and I couldn’t comprehend how I was walking. We neared the stage and I looked up, catching Bram’s worried expression. He was studying my every move, but I could barely lean my head back to look at him.

“I’m going to leave you for a little bit, slave. Stand here and be as still as possible. Whatever anyone does, ignore it.”

I tried to speak, but nothing left my mouth. He stepped back and it was as if I’d only blinked before men were suddenly all around me. In me. My head did a hard jerked and I looked down to see a younger man’s hand between my legs. Instinct screamed for me to run, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t even sure how I was managing to stand.

“Fuck, she’s tight. Mmm. Let’s see what’s under her dress.”

My shoulder drew back while more than one pair of hands removed my scarf and the straps of my dress. I could feel myself breathing faster— so fast that I was sure I was going to pass out. Screams echoed around the room and I tried to turn, to do something, but the hands wouldn’t let me.

They were pulling at my nipples and forcing themselves inside of me.

“What’s the matter, slave? Remember me?” Deep laughter left my head swaying back as I took in Master Pollock’s face. “There we go. Yeah, you remember. You scared?” His teeth snapped at me and a sound escaped my mouth. I managed to sidestep away or maybe I was being pulled? “You’re so terrified of what I can do to you. Wait until you see what I make you do to yourself. You’re going to be begging me to kill you before it’s over with.”

Pressure on my arm jerked me in the opposite direction and heated voices blended in with the rest of buzzing.

“Master?” The word left my mouth without warning and it didn’t stop. My bottom lip was trembling as I searched around me for a familiar face. “Master? Master?”

“Hold her still, dammit.”

Fingers dug into my thighs so roughly that it made my entire body jerk from pain. The action elicited a scream so deep from within that drugged or not, I was suddenly thrashing against them. A man’s face buried in my most intimate area and I screamed even louder for my master as he sucked and pushed his tongue inside of me.

“Enough! This is an auction, not a free-for-all. You are men, not animals, act like it or the next person who gets out of line will have their right to bid revoked!”

An arm was suddenly around my waist, pulling me back from the crowd. I couldn’t stop the sobs that left me as he turned me into his chest. A black chest. A uniform.

“It’s okay. Shh.” The voice whispered. “Did you not hear Mr. Whitlock?! Back! One at a time.” The voice lowered again as he came up next to my ear. “Almost done. Stand tall, slave. Don’t let them see your fear.”

Lyle righted me and I tried to stop the sobs from leaving me, but I couldn’t. I had no control over them or the one word that kept leaving me.

“Master!” Sobs shook me and the room blurred as I looked around lost. “Master? Master!”

“Jesus.” A man shoved through the others, picking up my clothes from the ground before rushing up to me. The anger on his face was evident, but it didn’t scare me. I knew him. I was safe with him.

“Mr. Harper?” More sobs came as he took his position behind me, next to the guard. Both of their hands settled on each bicep, holding me up, and I swallowed back the need to become ill. A man walked forward and I closed my eyes as his hands ran down my body, caressing and poking into the sides of my stomach. When they forced my thighs apart my body trembled uncontrollably. Fingers stretched me wide and I jerked my head toward West, trying my hardest to bury my face into him so I could disappear from what was happening.

“Next!”

Mr. Harper’s voice boomed from behind me, carrying authority and rage. Each man touched and some even slid their fingers back inside of me. Numbness may have been a veil over my emotions and actions, but the hate and violation I experienced couldn’t be desensitized. With each master, it grew, festering.

I brushed away the strands of hair that had escaped, and sniffled. The tears were long gone. My back stayed straight and I tried my hardest to memorize each face that came forward. Some I knew, other I didn’t.

Regardless, I’d remember ... if it was the last thing I did.

“The time has come. Slaves, leave us. High Leader.”

All but the first who had come in began to file out. Lyle’s hold disappeared and I waited as Mr. Harper helped me dress and excused himself. My head turned and I stared back at Bram and the guard talking, projecting the betrayal and rage I felt toward him. He was looking at me and I wasn’t sure what I saw, or what he was telling the guard. The stoic expression revealed nothing with how foggy my mind still was.

Lyle returned, grasping my arm. “Let’s go, slave.”

My legs were like lead as I began walking. My steps staggered, but my limbs were working a little better than before. I broke into the aisle, meeting the eyes of a man who’d ran his hands over my body. He was younger and unbelievably attractive, but that only made me hate him even more.

“Who is that,” I asked, glimpsing up to Lyle.

“That’s Master O’Farrell. He’s a big actor. If I was a betting man, my money would be on him for winning the bid on you.”

My fist clenched and I lifted my head higher as I broke my connection with the master. “Why him?”

“You’re worth a fortune and they all know it. Why do you think they behaved as they did?”

I tripped at his words, stumbling before Lyle’s grip caught me.

“What do you mean? Worth a fortune. How?”

He paused, looking around before leading me a little further down.

“Main Master just informed me that your old master left you an inheritance.

Your new master will have control over the funds.” “Will I … have access?” I rushed out.

His head nodded. “Possibly.”

“If I do, will you help me when the time comes? Will you help me escape?”

The surprise on his face only lasted seconds before it hardened. “I’m loyal to my Master. Don’t ever ask me or anyone else that again or you’ll leave me no choice but to report you for bribery. You know the cost for that.” His face lost anger as he paused, leading me further back. “Luckily for you, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. Mr. Whitlock wanted me to pass you a message. One, I think you’re going to be thanking him for later. Prepare yourself. He wants you up next. He wants this over with.”