34

34

We talked about what the bonding meant for the rest of the game. Fuji

had cooled my back down significantly, so it felt a little better. The girls

said they would ask their Masters how they bonded. I would ask my

owners, also.

Fuji and Rose didn't know my owners, but they knew their Warriors

were friends with them. The girls were worried their Warriors would be

upset if mine were taken. It was strange to realized how much we all

cared for these men. I wondered if, other than Christof, they felt

anything for us.

I walked quietly behind Master Damien pondering the strange situation

I found myself in. He led us into the bathhouse and the men stripped

me of my little cover. The water stung my back as it sloshed over it, but

I tried not to make any noise. As usual, I bathed Master Damien first.

Master Bane settled in front of me next.

As I washed him, I noticed everyone else had wandered off to watch a

water game on the other side of the pool. Boldly, I sat on Master Bane's

lap so he couldn't follow them. The water went higher over the marks

and it took a minute to get used to. He looked at me curiously.

"May I ask a question, Master Bane?" I asked wrapping my arms around

him to wash his back.

He moved me so I straddled him and said he didn’t mind at all. Men

could be so predictable.

"How do you bond with your brothers, Master Bane?" I asked brazenly.

The water had sloshed higher on my back and I arched toward him at

the pain. He watched me closely as he answered.

"It starts when we are very young. We learn to sense one another. My

bond with my brothers is stronger because of what Evan can do. Not

every family has a member like Evan. We are very lucky,” he finished.

I continued to stroke him and let his hardening length slide between us.

"Tell me what do you mean when you say you sense your brothers,

Master," I said hoping my tone wasn't too pressured.

It wasn't clear how much more time I had before the others came back.

"I sense how they feel about things, my feelings follow similarly to

theirs. When we make a decision, we make it as one being," he said.

A look of understanding came across his face and his brow furrowed.

"Don't be angry with me, Master Bane. I only wish to help,” I whispered

in his ear.

Cautiously, I watched his face. If they were angry I was asking I knew

where I would end up.

"He has to trust us again, Ciara. It will destroy us if he doesn't. We

cannot survive with just four; we need our brother," he said quietly.

"You don't feel him anymore, do you Master?” I asked playing with his

chest hair.

"No, Ciara, not since the women took him,” he answered. "Something

happened when they had him and the connection was broken."

"Why did you buy me, Master Bane?"

He told me softly the Administrators thought it would help. Other

families had gotten better with the addition of a slave. We seemed to

be something the men could reestablish their bond over.

Sloshing water behind us brought me flush against Master Bane. The

whole of my back was unbelievably tender. He held my hips tightly

against his and appraised me.

"Brothers, I am tired of the pained look and I do not wish to

permanently mar the flesh," he said directing the comment over my

shoulder.

Master Evan stroked the side of my neck and agreed.

We made our way upstairs and I was glad to see the bed. I doubted I'd

sleep, but it would feel good not to move for a while. Every piece of my

back was in pain, I couldn't even turn my head without feeling it.

The men had me lay on my stomach and Master Kein brought in the

little tub of cream. I begged them not to touch my back and they

shushed me. Every mark was rubbed with the cream from top to

bottom. At first, it was like having the whipping again. Slowly the pain

started to fade.

For the first time all day it didn't hurt to move.

I watched from my prone position as the men got ready for bed. Master

Damien caught me watching him and spoke.

"The General can hurt you and we can heal you as many days as we

need to until you learn,” he warned.

"Yes, Master Damien, I have learned," I answered humbly.

For the moment, I had learned my lesson. Never disobey in front of an

audience. Keeping Christof alive was going to take a lot of effort at this

rate. I prayed I could find a way.

The men crawled into bed around me and settled down.

I've never been a stomach sleeper, but for tonight I was. I drifted off

quite soundly listening to their slow even breathing.