Breaing Her

Atara's limbs and heart screamed at her as she ran. God help her, she was going to die.

Escape or die.

She could not make herself think of the future that awaited her if she could not lose them. Or make it to a hidden blade. Breathe, she told herself. Three of four trappers, easy. She'd dealt with eight or nine before.... But that was with Caden and with a weapon.

Then she turned right and slammed right into a wall of fat.

"Got you," a sinister voice hissed.

Cold sweat ran down Atara's back as she woke, the cold cave floor making her shiver.

Just a dream.

Just a nightmare.

She'd been having those since they had captured Caden. Her love, Caden.

She prayed he was okay as she walked off the nightmare in the dawn light of the forest, dagger in hand, thankfully.

With her bleached hair, sun tanned skin and lank, she must have looked unthreatening, but up close, you could see the undertone of muscle as she tensed, moved with the grace of a leopard. Fast, hard to catch, graceful, but powerful. A year, she'd been hiding. Scarring the skin on her arm again and again. Then Caden had found the bleach and blue lenses, so she took those.

Princess Atara looked like a wreck and she knew it. If only her father could see her now, she knew he would grin. Her boyish traits had paid off. But he was dead. Her mother had been dead for longer and her siblings had scattered to protect themselves from slavers. She didn't know who was alive and free or enslaved. She didn't wish to know.

And then she heard it, the distinct sound of a gun. But too hollow to be a bullet. A tranquilizer. She ran towards the noise, and only about two minutes later she found herself staring at an oh-too-familiar scene. An unconscious girl lying at the floor next to two perverted men, marking down comments. Through the leaves and foliage she watched, tensing.

Atara's lifted her dagger and rolled in, ready to attack. And then a gun was aimed at her face. By the girl.

"Good job, Katerina," a man said, leering at her, the girl stood, audibly purring.

"Oh, really? Thank you Master!" Before Atara could knock the gun out of the girl's -obviously- inexperienced and trembling hands, the two others pointed guns at her. The girl stood and draped herself over the man's shoulder purring even louder. Before Atara could make a face of disgust, she remembered.

Plan B.

She held the dagger up and was about to slit her throat when someone from behind grabbed her and the blade clattered to the ground.

She maneuvered, she kicked, she screamed, but the arms held steadfast. She couldn't reach it. Couldn't fathom living right now.

Too many secrets, too many, were locked somewhere in her head and she shuddered at the thought of someone finding out her identity.

They won't.

They won't.

It was her only thought as she awaited the tranquilizer.

She wouldn't.

A clicking awoke Atara.

It was just a dream, she thought, but when she moved, chains held steadfast and

kept her to the cold floor. Crap, shit, and numerous other curses streamed under her breath.

The clicking where did it come from? A lighter was clanging against the chains and she laughed, humorlessly. Stupid men. If only she could shift. But she couldn't. Not without possibly getting stuck forever. If she could though, she'd rip them apart when she was free.

With shaking hands, she strained an inch to grab it. Heat made things expand. Science really did pay off.

She picked herself up and tried to switch the light on. After making the skin of her thumb raw, she managed. Her thumb bone didn't fit through the chain. She held the flame upside down and hissed as it burned her flesh.

"Really?" she murmured.

Survival was painful.

Always painful.

After a few minutes she let go and tugged at the burning metal... Almost. Almost. Yes.

Stupid slavers didn't bother with her feet.

When the door handle in the corner moved, she slid four of her finger into each shackle.

An elderly man and a woman with a whip came in.

"Nice job, Christane. I'll draw blood, check for any diseases or issues and you get her ready for the auction. Pretty this one," the man wheezed out. Doctor, he was a doctor. A needle was placed into her arm and he drew blood. "Good girl," he said as she kept still.

She wasn't worried. They wouldn't be able to tell her lineage from her restless blood, constantly changing, because of her shifter genes. Her natural form, this was it. Chocolate hair, violet eyes -without contacts-, beautiful she was called, so she kept images to return to this form after she shifted. But, now she couldn't, not without the energy of the forest that had surrounded her home. She wasn't sure how much of her reserves were left, and if she shifted she might be stuck. She didn't want to forget this face. Wouldn't. There were no images of this face left. They had made sure when they burned her home to the ground.

She held still as he poked and prodded and left.

Not yet. Patience.

"Gustavo, grab the girl, take her to the dressing chambers," and she left too.

A scrawny man came over and she held back a grin.

He told her to behave, that he would take off her shackles. Too late, she thought. When he cursed as he saw her hands she jumped up and hit him with them very hard, he fell to the ground unconscious.

She made a run for it, hallways empty as she checked through doors. An alarm sounded, and a message about a runaway slave played. Shit. The room must've had a life form check. That man was not close to her body structure at all.

She would make it though, as she saw doors that led outside. Three...two... one....

The last thing she heard was her own sadistic giggle as the doorknob shocked her to sleep.

Water was being sloshed around her as she sat up, finding her neck chained to the back of a wall. She couldn't help it. She sobbed.

Caden was gone.

Her parents dead.

Her siblings scattered.

And she held the key to burning her forest to the ground.

She was never weak. But the thought of millions dying because of her.... She wept.

Calm down, she told herself. Rebellion. Rebellion would get her killed, she needed to be killed before she got sold. She was used to torture. She would shift if she needed to, just to run and keep her people safe. No plan. But tons of options.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

That's what she chanted as hands cleaned her. She was still lost in thought when she was led to a room do they applied something into her hair. She knew that scent. Regrowth, recolor. Brown hair wouldn't make a difference, she told herself. A lot of girls had natural brown hair.

One night and her hair would be waist length and brown. A few hours, and it would be halfway down her back.

Cleaned, pampered. She didn't care. A dangerous freedom was better than a comfortable slave household. When she looked into a mirror, she saw a beautiful girl that looked broken, chained to the floor. But she wasn't. If someone looked into her eyes they'd know that she would claw their eyes out. When a man touched her, she punched him. Oops.

The woman -Christane- that had had the whip walked in, frowning.

"Hello, darling. You've been a little bitchy lately, I'm going to fix that," she purred.

This time she had a pink object in her hand and Atara, rolled her eyes. Was she going to tickle her? But when the women told the man to hold her down, she struggled. "This is a vibrator. A little big. You're not a virgin so it should only be uncomfortable. But when it starts up... Let's just say pain is not the right word. You'll be begging to orgasm by the auction," Atara kicked and screamed and when the women neared, she got a kick with her heel in. The women laughed and then scowled, "Now you're going to eat me out, got it?" Atara screamed as she shoved the object into her pussy.

It started vibrating and the woman laughed a little more. "Look, Angelo, already dripping." The women held up two wet fingers and Atara felt the life drain from her face. She couldn't have.

Angelo pushed her down and she screamed. The vibrations grew and a moan slipped out. She was biting her lip when Christane sat on her face. To avoid more punishment she started lapping at the moist cunt in front of her, breathing in the woman's arousal. It was terrible. She wanted to get it over so she suckled on her clit. Then the women moaned and started rubbing at her own. Atara bucked her hips into the the rubbing hand and wanted to die.

When the woman came from her tongue fucking, she mewled as they took the vibrator out, before she could come.

Stop. No. She was stronger than this.

She breathed in and out.

The torture began.

Stopped.

Began.

Stopped.

By the time they were done she was in a retreated state, from fighting arousal so hard.

She welcomed sleep.

Funny how she kept sleeping.

When they were done fixing her up they shoved her into a room. She had told her that her name was Rowan. She behaved. Just for now. Just to make sure they wouldn't try to break her down again. She would choose better battles. She knew how she looked, a seductress, with her black lace lingerie. Her hair was pinned up, to look sexily mussed, beaded with silver and blue. She was told to pose on her side. People would be passing. She didn't care, so she sassily blew kisses at the window, and she constantly flipped her middle finger. She would not break. Never. Ever.

She had been a treasure, her kingdoms jewel, more beautiful than most girls. She didn't care. She could be plain and ugly. She had the ability to shift, look however she wanted. But beauty was a curse, especially when the ambassadors and princes from other countries asked for her hand.

She had been a boy. Never wanted a man. But nights with Caden had warmed her heart, had made her wish for the ability to be feminine. But he had been caught. She had been torn and sweaty and ugly, with a bleached bob, that constantly had twigs stuck in it. Caden. She wondered how he was faring. He had been her overprotective love. Watched her back as she slept. Called her beautiful even when bleeding.

He had known who and what she was and he had loved her, she had wanted nothing else.So while she was scowling and flipping off unseen visitors, she knew.

Knew that she would find and save him.

A guard came a few hours later to fetch her and she smiled as he calmed her. "I'm sorry about the treatment. It'll be over soon," her whispered. He was nice. He was just as trapped as her. When he told her stories as they walked, she laughed. "One of the slaves had seen a snake and screamed so loud that Christane was on pills right now," or "my sister is more scared of the slaves then the rats in the field," and then...."Sit, behave, or they will gag and blind you. The auctions about to start." He shackled her to the loveseat, left and Atara sat alone, contemplating. Other men and women sat around the room, in similar and different poses that showed off their bodies and clothes. She hated this.

Being thrown around like a pet.

Being made a traitor for your family, like the guard.

She would make her buyer regret wasting his money.

She was princess. 'Crown' of the the crown, as her name suggested.

She would make them regret ever burning her palace and killing her children.

She had been silent. Now she would scream.

A girl was out next to Atara, posed by kneeling, and arching her back. Poor girl would be uncomfortable for the rest of the night, so she helped by resting her leg on her back, keeping her upright without using any strength. "Thank you," she whispered, "What is your name?"

"Rowan... Yours?" She would not give her her real name, it would both them both in danger.

"Celeste... For my almost white hair." Celeste. She had once named her pure white wolf that...well until she found out that the female had been a shifter, but born when her mother was in her wolf-state.

"What did you do? Are you a shifter?"

"Yes. Nothing, I was looking for... for someone. I got trapped with this face. Beautiful... So they took me. I used to be someone's very close friend. I'm lucky I got trapped like this or they would torture me for information." Oh my god. Oh my god. It couldn't be.

"What would you tell your friend? If you saw her I mean." The girl could not see her, for if she could...

"I'd tell her...." Celeste's voice cracked, "it's okay to be afraid. Our kingdom is lost. It will always be lost. But not to break. People loved her. Everyone did, I know I did. I wish I could see her before I got taken away. I would promise her that I'd fight. I'd rather die... I think I'm going to shift. And if she ever came back and led me to out forest..."

"I hope you get your wish. I lost someone like you once. She was a beautiful wolf. Golden eyes, filled with curiosity, fire. We became best friends. One time... I even cut her hair too short... We were playing dress up. She laughed and told me I meant more than her hair and she would grow to like it." Celeste stops breathing, stops talking... And then she whimpers.

"Good luck, my friend. I hope you can show me the way out one day. I'll wait for you." And then they stopped talking, they waited together for the door to open, for the rich to come.

After thirty minutes -and being changed again-, prospective owners had filled the area, many looking and asking questions about certain slaves. Too many had stopped over by Celeste and Atara, touching both, while they tried to hold back moans and curses. Atara was still wet from Christane's tormenting, and both girls held on to each other.

It was amazing how they had started and ended their peaceful lives together. A woman came to Celeste and touched her hair, grinning. "Little slut, right? I wonder if you've ever tonguefucked a woman, proper. Would you like to come home with me?" Celeste went rigid, woman scowled and was about to slap her, Atara spoke up.

"Touch her and you'll get both of us. Trust me. And you wouldn't want two little sluts with big scary claws. Right, slut?" Atara then gave her best leopard growl and the woman moved away.

Atara would not let Celeste go somewhere with a psychotic woman or man, so when a young man came and spoke with kindness to Celeste, she relaxed. They needed homes where they would not break.

The man promised to bid for Celeste and left, and Celeste started to cry. Atara jumped up and tried her best to cradle Celeste into her arms. "Little wolf, what's wrong?"

"Even chained up you look after me like a mother... And I've never..." Atara hushed Celeste and somberly tried to speak.

"You are going to grit your teeth and we are going to find our way out of this mess. Maybe tomorrow... Maybe in a year, but you are going to help me by staying strong. You are a wolf Celeste, act like her. Be cunning. You are going to act meek, but keep your spirit, so I can find you at an event or at my house. Got it?" A nod. "Good."

And then out of the shadows came a man that Atara hissed at. Lord Danton. She was going to rip him limb from limb. Celeste cocked her head at Atara and tapped her.

"He killed Dad and burned my home to the ground, Celeste. That's why." Celeste moved back and stopped tapping her. Oh, his blood was going to taste good. The women from earlier was pointing over to them and he made eye contact with her.

Pity someone so evil was put in such a face. It ruined his looks. Made him uglier than a slaver. And- Atara knew from experience- they looked like pigs. While he looked at her she gave him her most defiant grin and flipped him the finger. Shackles bound her wrists. Not her fingers. She was hoping he would turn around but instead he sauntered over, like a wolf circling its prey. Too bad, I've already got a wolf, she's right next to me.

A smirk dressed his face as he studied her. Suddenly felt that the baby doll dress with a slit in the front, with garter belt and stockings was not covering enough. She had stripped into lingerie in front of men before, but never had felt naked. Not like this.

"Lea tells me you've got a talkative mouth on you... Wonder what else you could do with it," his hand lifted and traced her collarbone lightly, down to the dip of her chest.

"A lot of things, I'd be willing to show you..." the threat in her voice was evident, dripping with sarcasm.

"Mmm. I don't think you and me are talking about the same skill set..." his hand slithered down even farther, right down and into her panties. "You're soaking..." when he reached up and sucked on his fingers, she shuddered and gagged.

"I need a man. Men don't buy their girlfriends from slave houses. I suggest you go away." Danton's smile grew and as he was about to speak the man from earlier came by.

"Chase, I see you've found interest in Rowan. Beauty isn't she? I prefer Celeste though. Pale hair, skin, expressive eyes... she doesn't have the mouth that I've heard Rowan has," Atara's neutrality turned to dislike for the man she approved for Celeste. They'd be getting out though, Atara didn't care, as long as Celeste wouldn't break.

"I like a little mouth, Leo. Makes it sweeter when they break," then Danton turned to her, "and you will break." Celeste was paying any attention though, she was thinking of what high powered male was named Leo. Of course. Lord Venard.

"Why two slaves though? The boy you got, what of him?" Venard, spoke.

"I got that boy, Caden, for the girls. I want a shifter, not just any victim of the war. He keeps them pleased. We can have Atara, him and Celeste put on a little show for us when they're done." Atara zoned out, and her heart stopped. Caden. Caden under Danton. Danton was known to be cruel, known to break the best of people. Known to help drop countries with a plan. With Danton...

"Something wrong, slave?" Atara snapped out of it. Excuse. The best excuse was a truth with lies.

"I don't want you to buy me, let alone train me."

Celeste was about to open her mouth and Atara kicked her. She would not get swept up in this. She was like her sister.

Danton leaned down and purred, "You will, kitten. You'll be begging for me to touch you when I'm done with you. And what immense pleasure it will be to have you purring and moaning my name." He stepped away and the lights turned off, everyone listening to the voice on the mic.

The speaker's announced that they were starting the live auction and Atara stiffened. A spotlight landed on a dark haired beauty and she was picking her nails, staring at the crowd like a panther hungry to kill. Shifters. The auction must have been for shifters if Danton had known she was one. Kitten, was it a coincidence he had called her what she shifted too? Not a kitten, of course, but a wild cat?

Atara snapped out of her thoughts and she tried to remember the names of the names that were recited. Renee, Lyne, Byron, Vex, Sparrow, Damien, Callias, Niya, Trenton, Marisse, Kristen, Anja, Nara, Anos, Griffin. Then the spotlight was on Celeste and Atara waited. Celeste, the genes of a full shifter. Starting at 80,000.

"90,000," someone shouted.

"100,000," another spoke. The bids went on and Atara shut it out, not wanting to know the price that her friend was worth in the eyes of these monsters. And then it was her turn. It was sad how they were not given last names, a showing that they belonged nowhere and had no title.

Rowan, full genes, most beautiful in the room. Best for last, after all. Starting at 150,000. Rowan held up her finger and smiled with the level of a seductress.

"Rowan, full genes, obviously most beautiful, also has a saucy mouth on her, if you buy her you'll have to sleep with both eyes open, after all, castration is my specialty. I wouldn't mind getting rid of a little problem." The room quiets for a few moments then the bidding starts. 500,000. 1,000,000. 2,500,000. Atara's head spins at the numbers, and she clutches Celeste's hand.