She lay curled on the floor, shuddering in pain, teeth clenched as the lash fell again. The last blow. She did not know why she was here, but she had refused to submit. She was often beaten unconscious. Her wrists and ankles were raw and bleeding. A hand gripped her hair and jerked her head back.
“Now?”
“Never!” she gasped. With a low growl, she was flung down again and left alone to suffer. The men came and went. Again and again, she was given to a man or ‘another’ only to be returned as too independent, not properly obedient. And each time she was beaten. Now she lay unconscious, her body shuddering.
That was how he finally found her. He had searched for two years since she had been taken from him. He had walked into the…club…looking for information. He’d been introduced to the manager who was slightly out of breath and carrying a bloody lash.
“Sorry, Sir,” said the manager, “we have a…slight…discipline problem.” He shrugged. “I’m about ready to give her to the ghouls.”
The tall, topaz eyed man felt a sudden stab of unease. “Let me see her,” he said cooly. “I may have a…use…for her.”
The manager leered at the faintly sinister statement. “Of course, Sir. This way, please.” He led the huge man to where she lay bloody and unconscious.
The topaz eyes turned to golden ice. He had found her. “I will take her.” His frozen voice made the manager cringe just a bit.
“Of course, Sir!”
She was untied. He waved away the servants and handed over the requested price without argument. Then he wrapped her in the sheet she lay on and carried her away.
She woke up in a huge bed, covered with silk sheets. She looked at the man beside the bed. “Who are you?” Her voice was hoarse, chill.
“You may call me Physician,” he said. “I was brought in to tend you.”
“Why bother?” she asked, her voice dull.
“Because I was asked to, chyiara,” said Physician.
“Do. Not. Call. Me. That,” she said with frozen anger, her pain evident in her voice. “Only one may call me that and you are not him!”
