It was mid-afternoon, and Lucas, Alex, and Francince were at the training ground, shackles around their necks, hiding in the shadows and watching two lycans snarl at each other while four half-naked, buff males surrounded them. They were taken aback at first when they saw the beasts, but they soon realized there were no chains around their ankles or necks.
*But how are they not escaping?* Alex pondered.
"Welcome to The Casa's training ground for champions," a younger man proudly stated, dressed in nothing but ragged corduroy pants.
"For champoins? So you have a separate training base for losers?" Alex asked.
The young man chuckled. "Well, we don't actually call it a training ground for losers, but our fledgelings or novice fighters, or new bloods, as Master Gillen refers to them, do not train here. Given that you have yet to win a fight, the three of you should have been in the muck."
"The muck?" Lucas' expression darkened.
"Yes. It's a training ground for inexperienced fighters," the young man smiled momentarily, his attention fixed on Alex. "But, Master Gillen must have seen something in the three of you that justified your immediate inclusion among the champions."
"What’s your name, kid?" Francine asked.
"Clay."
"And do you also fight?"
"On occasion, Master Gillen allows me to fight. But Master Gillen prefers to keep me locked up, allowing me to only do errands for his sitters and personal servants."
"Sitters?"
"Servants who care for Master Gillen's champions."
A loud roar from one of the lycans abruptly ended their conversation. They all watched as the black fuzzy beast slapped the grey one, which was much smaller. The other men applauded and laughed.
"So we're able to shift when we fight?" Lucas asked after a brief pause.
Clay gave a nod. "That is correct. The Lycans fight in their beast forms." He smiled. "I know what you're thinking. We're all servants and, in reality, prisoners here. And, in the past, there had been several uprisings in this casa, but none had been successful. Some prisoners and servants dared to break free, but Master Gillen owns fifty fighters, including these six champions, and none of them dared to fight against him."
"And were you one of those who tried to run away?"
He glanced at Lucas for a bit, thinking about his question, when a voice from behind them erupted.
"How are our new bloods settling into the training ground, Clay?" As he neared them, Gillen asked. The rest of his fighters turned to face him, and the two lycans immediately shifted back, panting in their naked human forms.
Clay bowed his head before speaking back, "Curious, Master Gillen."
"Good! Curiosity is a good thing! But you, too, should feel blessed," the lord cried, waving a hand at his champions. "Every single one of you is fortunate to be here at my casa!" Gillen pumped his fist as his champions began chanting his name and cheered him on, except for Clay, who suddenly stood awkwardly in place, still pondering Lucas' question.
When the cheering stopped and his champions returned to their training, Gillen glanced at Lucas and Alex before shifting his attention to Francine. "How do you like my bloodstone recipe? I'm sure you're enjoying the warmth of the sun on your skin."
Francince didn't respond, instead looking down and pursed her lips. She'd tried a few bloodstones before, so she could stay under the sun without getting fried, and she hated to admit she hadn't tried anything as potent as Gillen's.
"I say to the three of you: prove yourselves in the coming days, prove yourselves in the arena as my fighters, and you will be greatly rewarded." If you succeed, you will be pleased to be counted among my champions."
"And what if we refuse?" Alex spoke, his jaw clenched.
"Refuse and you will perish. If you lose, you will die. It's as simple as that, Alexander." Gillen cracked a grin. "I know your father, Lord Ramon. He is vile and wicked. He and the rest of the hypocrites on the council were the ones who kicked me out. So don't believe for a moment that your status as a lord's son will automatically put you on my good side. It is not going to happen. Prove to me that you are not as evil as your father, and I will not make your life here at the casa as miserable as possible."
An unsettling look crossed Alex's face. "I don't know a fucking thing about my father."
Gillen’s brow furrowed.
"His memories have been wiped clean," Lucas explained. "I'm certain you're familiar with Lord Aleister."
"Aleister? Of course, I'm familiar with that son of a bitch."
"Well, with Lord Ramon's permission, he had Alex's memories erased."
"Those despicable monsters," Gillen commented sternly. "Aleister persuaded the Council to throw me out. Lord Vanklause, Lord Garrett, and Lord Ramon couldn't be happier to back his lunacy that only vampires and lycans have the right to power."
"What exactly are you?" Alex asked.
"He's a *ghoul hybrid*," Francince answered. "My uncle has mentioned you and what a strange creature you are."
"*Creature*?"
Gillen shook his head with a smile. "You three should understand that your ties and royalty are irrelevant here in my casa. Velaris is one of the three emancipated lands in Nebiru over which the royal council has no authority. Neither King Ascian nor Queen Niran give a damn about what I'm doing here. So you should crush every glimmer of hope you have of getting out of here, because you aren't. So you might as well fight for me and never try to fuck me over," he chastised, turning back to face his champions and swinging his whip at one of them.
A brawny man's strong voice filled everyone's ears as he swiftly caught the whip around his wrist. "I'm sorry, Master Gillen, but last night was not my fault."
A faint smirk appeared on Gillen's face, but it was swiftly wiped away when he jerked the whip back, sending the man tumbling face forward onto the sand. "Don't tell me you didn't mean to fuck one of the house slaves last night, Mikael. "You disgusting animal," he snarled.
Mikael yelled obscenities, claiming it was the slave's fault. Taking a chance, he elbowed one of the soldiers who approached him in the ribs and whirled out of his grip, then tried to transform, but by this time, the guards had begun to file into the open field, and he was outnumbered. They started stalking towards him, shoving him towards the wall that enclosed the training ground.
"Even if she stands naked in front of you, when I order you not to fuck any of the slaves, you don't! That is what your sitters are for!" Gillen looked to his right and nodded to the two armed guards who had soon approached and grabbed the roaring Mikael.
"Master Gillen! Please!"
"Throw him in the dungeon and starve him and his wolf for a week," he ordered.
"Master Gillen!"
"Repent!" he yelled, his left eye flashing bright red.
Lucas, Alex, Francine, and Clay stood still as the guards shackled Mikael around his neck and dragged him away.
"Fucking Mikael!" Gillen exclaimed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry you had to witness it. Mikael is one of my greatest champions, but his cock has a firm grip on his brain!" His remark made him and his other champions laugh.
"All Mikael has done for you, Maste Gillen, is give you headaches," Clay spoke quietly, as if he was scared Gillen would strike him. "Perhaps he should spend longer than a week in the dungeon."
"I didn't buy you to tell me that maybe my judgment is flawed or half-baked, did I, boy?"
Clay promptly bowed his head and whispered his apology.
After a little moment, Gillen's left eye gradually became blue like his right eye. "Don't get me wrong, I allow my warriors to do anything they want with their cocks, but not with my personal slaves. There needs to be a limit. I bought sitters to look after them and their physical needs, and my slaves are off-limits. That goes for you, too," he said, pointing at Lucas and Alex. Harper is my personal slave, and I am aware of your love triangle."
Francine let out a painful sigh and lowered her gaze, her lips pursed.
"If I hear any of you men fucking her, there will be punishment, and it will be severe," Gillen added. After delivering his warning, he sat back in one of the settees and watched his fighmaster coax Lucas, Alex, and Francine into meeting the champions. Looking at Francine, lust flashed across their faces because they hadn't seen a female fighter in a long time, but it was quickly replaced by seriousness.
Then, as the day progressed, Gillen observed the three being counseled and coached by his fightmaster. He observed the three refusing to practice, Alex arguing with Lucas, Francine walking out on them, and his fightmaster cursing and forcing them to participate.
As the sun began to fall, the fighters began to make their way to their sleeping quarters.
Lucas, Alex, Francine, and Clay were the only ones who remained when everyone else seemed to leave.
"You can stay here for another hour, but I recommend you go to your quarters after that," the young man told the three of them.
"We can?" Francine asked, surprised that they were allowed to stay with only two guards watching them.
Clay smiled as he looked over at the guards. "You heard Master Gillen, King Ascian, and Queen Niran don't give a shit what he does here."
"You haven't answered my question," Lucas said.
"Master Gillen has complete control over Velaris. Sorry, but once you've been sold to The Casa Master, you pretty much don't have control over your life."
"That is not-"
"For the time being, you will be sharing a sitter. Once you've proven your worth, you'll be assigned one of your own." Clay spun around. "Don't stay too late."
They quietly watched him leave before carefully searching the area, then Alex softly said, "There's got to be a way out. I'm not going to die in this shit－"
He was cut short as a woman approached them.
"Please follow－huh!" the young woman gasped, her face flushed with surprise. "Master Alex!"
Alex's mouth dropped open. "You. I know you."
"Libby? What are you doing here?" Lucas asked, shocked.