ESCAPE

Meeting

I opened my eyes and got out of the chair. They wouldn't let me see myself until I got dressed. Andy handed me the bundle of clothes that she had brought from my room. I walked behind the curtains that were placed between the mirrors and got undressed.

"I'm not wearing this!" I said throwing the tight red dress outside the curtains.

It was bad enough that I was wearing black lacy underwear. I was not going to wear a red dress so short it showed my ass, so tight I couldn't breathe, and open enough on top the only thing you couldn't see were my nipples. And where the hell was my bra?

"It's this or go naked." Andy said and the dress smacked me in the face

"Is there anything less revealing? Like pants?" I asked

Another bundle of clothes smacked me in the face.

"Try this." Meg called

I looked at the dress she had thrown at me. It was black leather, tight, and long. A slit on each side ran all the way to my thigh and it was backless. But the neckline covered my entire chest.

"So that's a no to pants?" I asked hopefully

"Do you want to wear the red dress?" Rain asked

I muttered a curse and pulled the dress on. Holy shit it was tight. I got to look in a mirror and I was horrified. My short black hair was down and in waves, my green eyes were lined with way too much eyeliner, and my lips were bright red. The dress was like a latex glove against my skin and they had made me wear black strapped heels. I looked like someone played dress up with a goth doll. It was sickening.

"Why are we getting dressed up?" I asked

The curtain opened and all three girls stared at me like I was stupid.

"Master Ajax is having a meeting with the other Masters in the region. We're his women so we're supposed to look nice." Andy said

"We're not women Andy. We're slaves." I growled

Her eyes suddenly flashed yellow and she let out a hiss. She pushed me against the wall.

"Listen up and listen good. This is how the world here is. So learn to live in it." She growled at me

I pushed her hand away and I saw the guards around us straighten.

"I was living in it. I just choose to see reality." I stated

She huffed and walked away from me. Meg and Rain just stared after her and shook their heads.

"Listen Asteria no one here remembers what it's like to be free. But, Andy she has never been free. This is her world. It may not be yours, but let her have it okay?" Rain said softly

"I don't belong here. We don't belong here. This isn't living." I yelled

Rain put her hand over my mouth and the guards started walking towards us.

"We know. But we have to play along." She whispered in my ear

She pulled away from me and smiled at the guard in front of her. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a bushy beard. Rain put her hand on his chest and smiled sweetly at him.

"There's no problem Remus. We were just talking." She said

He looked at her and grabbed her wrist. I heard a slight snap and Rain flinched but didn't utter a sound. I moved forward, but Meg pulled me back. She looked worried.

"Listen seductress if there is a problem I'll say there's a problem and if there isn't a problem I'll say there isn't a problem. Got it?" He growled

He let go of her wrist and she dropped to the floor. Her other hand cradled her broken wrist and she curled her legs under her. She bowed her head to him trying to appear small.

"Yes sir." She whispered

Another guard grabbed Remus and pulled him back. He looked just like Remus but with no beard.

"What the hell Remus. We aren't supposed to damage the girls." He said
Remus just huffed at him and went back to his post. The other guard knelt down and held out his hand to Rain. She put her injured wrist in his hand and he grabbed it. She let out a yelp and I tried to move forward again, but Meg wouldn't let me. He let go of Rain and smiled.

"Better?" He asked

"Thank you sir you didn't need to do that." She whispered

He helped her up and turned back to his post with a wink.

"We're not all assholes." He said

Rain flexed her wrist and smiled at me, "Good as new."

I held my tongue and smiled at her tightly. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"Come on were gonna be late." Meg said

"So what are we supposed to do?" I asked

"Just follow everyone else and no matter what do NOT speak unless asked. Please if one messes up we all pay." Meg whispered

We left the dorm and walked down the hallway in a straight line with guards posted around us. We got to another room that loomed like a ballroom. There was a long table in the middle of it and gold chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. There were no lights, just candles. The whole room was dark blue and gold. It would have been beautiful of I hadn't noticed the cushions that lined the outer walls. Women already had taken their place on the cushions. Gold chains connected the women,a collars to the walls. They looked like dogs on display. I felt bile rising in my throat. I heard the click of a latch and a tug as a guard pulled me to a cushion near Rain. Andy was across the room glaring at me. I sighed. The guard locked my chain on the wall and I sat on the cushion. If I'm gonna have to do this I might as well try to find a way out and learn something.

I heard men's voices coming from the hallway and glared as Ajax came in followed by 6 other men. They were all wearing black suits with varying ties. Ajax had a proud smile on his arrogant face as he displayed the ballroom to the men. They glanced approvingly and checked each of us out from head to toe.

"I see you have a new pet." A man said

I turned my head towards the man who had spoken. He had light brown shaggy hair and bright red eyes. I hated him instantly and a growl escaped my lips.

" And so unmannered. Where ever did you buy it?" The man asked

"Asteria wasn't bough James. I caught her. She's wild." Ajax replied

"Do you know it's breed?" James asked

"Not yet. She doesn't even know what she is." Ajax said

If that man called me an "it" one more time I would kill him. I felt Rains gaze on me and I looked away from the man not wanting her to get hurt again.

"Want me to find out for you?" James asked

I instantly turned to look at him again and this time he was right in front of me. I recoiled and he toyed with the chain around my neck. His eyes were bright with humor and it took every inch of my restraint not to attack him.

"No thank you James that's a mystery I'd like to solve myself." Ajax said

James shrugged and turned his back on me. I nearly went for it, but I felt Rain touch my hand. I froze and closed my eyes trying to calm myself. When I opened them Ajax was smiling at me and I bit my cheek.

"Good girl." He said

I spit at him and he smiled.

"Isn't she a treat? It's been such a long time since I've been able to break such a wild mare." He said to the men

A chorus of deep laughter came from the group and I looked at Rain. Her eyes were worried and my heart sank. I had messed up I could feel it in her eyes. So much for my plan to blend in and escape.