Slave To The Fang

12, Unconventional

Gale's POV

"You don't talk much do you? The girl that had her arm around me laughed melodiously as she led Elisa and I towards the others. Cezar just smiled a very pearly white smile. I looked away from him and checked on Elisa. She seemed to be mesmerized by the whole ambience of the place. I suppose she was not expecting slaves to be like this. I felt bad for her. From my experience these were few of the good parts.

"I'm Reena." The girl or rather woman introduced as we reached the table. Other slaves were watching us keenly but as we got to one of the big round tables, some slaves shifted so that we could sit. Everyone's gaze was on us and it felt uncomfortable. I refused to try to know anyone here or get close to anyone here. They could all die at any moment. And I was leaving.

A small voice in my head was quick at that moment to argue back that if I was going to get my freedom after this then wasn't this the perfect time to finally make friends? I easily dismissed the voice. Friends meant weaknesses. Weaknesses got you killed. I sounded selfish but until you had lived this life, you could not understand. It was a sad life.

"I'm Cezar as you must have heard Melanie, the girl you were with call me. Don't mind her. She just loves serving the masters and mistresses." Cezar spoke and exchanged an awkward knowing look with Reena at the last part of his statement. I rolled my eyes. I knew what she was. A fan slave. But in their defense, they probably didn't know I knew what fan slaves were to begin with.

I just smiled a small smile back at them. I wasn't sure what to say to them or what I wanted to say to them. I didn't trust any of them. And I stood by the notion that Cezar was too bred to be just a slave. Maybe he was a spy. Maybe he was just another fan slave too who lived off favors from the masters and mistresses. I was judging him too quickly but it was my first instinct when meeting anyone.

"What are your names?" Reena asked with a warm smile. Reena looked around my age, maybe a little older but not much older and she had long wavy auburn hair and light brown eyes. Her eyes were kind but she was partially guarded. That's when I realized that she was observing me just as I was observing her. I wondered for how long she had been a slave. I contemplated telling her my name but Elisa, the naïve young thing had already spoken

"I'm Elisa." She said with a small smile. I raised a brow. The child was getting too comfortable with these people. She was too trusting. I felt like it was my job to show her that no everyone you met could be trusted. I mentally smacked my forehead. She had so much to learn. Seeing as Elisa had already hurriedly said her name, I groaned internally and turned to the expectant face of Reena.

"Gabrielle." I said. I wanted to add that my friends called me Gale but then I remembered that the last time I had a friend was five years ago when I was sixteen and she had ended up being killed while I couldn't save her. Gale. It was a nickname; a special nickname I had fashioned for myself but it was too special to share with just anyone. When the memories threatened to spill through, I pushed them back down, the rest of my name getting stuck in my throat in an emotional lump. I shook my head and cleared my throat uncomfortably. Reena was oblivious to my internal battle because she clapped her hands in glee and turned to exchange a smile with Cezar. He was smiling at us as well. I averted my gaze from his pretty smile and wrung my hands in my lap.

"Elisa, Gabrielle. Such beautiful names for very beautiful women. Welcome to the mansion. We hope you have a wonderful stay." Reena enthused and I heard a scoff sound to the side of the room at the same time I rolled my eyes. My head snapped to meet dark eyes, very dark eyes. She looked like she did not belong here at all. She was thin, tall, was dressed in all black and had long black hair over her face that she didn't even bother to comb.

Witch. I don't know how I knew that she was witch but I knew. She was a witch slave. Panic rose in me, wondering if she knew I was a hidden witch. She raised a dark brow at me when she realized I was looking at her, matching my stare head on. It surprised me. She was very bold...for a slave. Reena coughed awkwardly dragging my attention back to her but my mind was still on the strange slave girl sitting along in a dark corner dressed in all black. She had piqued my interest and heavens was I intrigued.