Adam's Slave

e l e v e n- Adam

The dungeon was barely lit when I came down to visit. It was mid day, but given that there no windows underground, it was only expected.

I knew for a fact that Rhys hadn't been excused to sleep, nor eat, nothing that will hurt him, though. I knew his limits and stamina, he was a hybrid, this would have been a picnic for him. And I was right, of course. He was bouncing a small ball to the floor, then the wall, seemingly enjoying the practice.

He turned when he heard my steps, however, smiling broadly at me. "There you are, Sir. I need a bathroom break. Like, really, really badly."

"Ransacked my drinks, did we?"

My tone was teasing, he knew I wasn't irate, but I hadn't given him leave, either. His face contracted, "Please, Sir."

Ignoring his question, I turned to his charge, naked, and huddled in a cage small enough for him to sit on his knees comfortably with his back straight, but wouldn't allow him to stand. Or stretch his hands or legs. I barely used that cage anymore, it was there for as long as I remember. That being said, I wasn't the one who brought it, or places it here. But it seemed only proper with the situation I was put in last night.

My eyes on Dante, "So," I wondered, "What was it that set our boy alight?"

"They agitated him." Rhys answered me, his voice strained, "a little teasing, here and there. And he wasn't in the right set of mind."

"My boys?" I found that hard to believe, my boys were like a mother hen, cuddled in each other's protection and warmth whenever possible. It didn't matter that he was new, they usually took the new as their own pretty damn quickly.

"They saw the the scales on his back, they were a little put back."

I turned to him, countering, "They've seen your wolf."

"Yes, but I'm-" He hesitated, "I was there first, and they've seen good sides of m . Dante came off as a bit aloof."

"Aloof?"

He shrugged, "For lack of better description."

"How so?"

"Well, you know how they get very excited about the TV and WiFi and, well, everything else." I nodded, he went on, "He just sat there, and nodded, for two weeks, barely came out of his room. Doesn't sit with them or talks."

"Aloise seemed fond with him." I said, remembering the boy's desperate defense of him.

"Aloise is the only one he warmed up to. And even then, well. They don't spend all that much time together."

"So what set it off," I asked at last, "They saw his back, so?"

"They called him a fish." Rhys whispered. "Then another one said that he'd only ever be good for beatings, since, you know," his eyes went to the cage, "he's got thick skin."

Rhys fidgeted in his place, his eyes darting to Dante again, then back to me.

"You can go." I allowed at last.

He spun, going to the exit, but before he left, "They tease each other all the time. No hard feelings or any-"

"You can go, Rhys."

And then he left.

Leisurely walking to the corner, I let the slave out. His movement were stiff, he knelt on the floor by the metal cage, not making a sound, and never looking up. "You can stand up, stretch your muscles."

I grabbed a soda from my mini fridge, popping the lid open and chugging half of it. By the time I turned again, he was up and moving, but only for seconds before he knelt again. His head was too low to allow him any view of me, so cocking my fingers to order him beside me would be useless, "To me," I said, and he crawled closer.

I raised his head enough before lowering the can to his lips, I let him have few sips, watering his dry lips. He drank hesitantly, careful of my hand withdrawing at any moment. I let him has his fill before leaing us both to my armchair, where I had him kneel by me. His hands were shaking as he placed them both on his thighs, but he was otherwise stable.

"Do you have something to add to Rhys' version of the story?"

His voice so quiet, he said, "No, Sir"

"And you do realize, that I only took you in because you can take more than the ones I own? You may be good for other things, but this is the main reason I fancy you, you realize this, yes?"

He said nothing, and didn't move the slightest. For a second, I thought he had stopped breathing, for his chest wasn't moving. His skin was warm to touch when I put my hand on his shoulder. "That was a question," I told him.

"Yes, Sir." He said at last. "I know."

"That being said, why would you be mad if someone pointed it out?"

He didn't answer, and I was all too happy to say, "You know what I think? I think your skin was made to be your greatest strength and advantage. I think it should give you pride, not shame you. I wouldn't reprimand them for stating facts, because even though they said it for all the wrong reasons, they were right. You're cherished for reasons they'll never be able to match.

"It was petty of them to point it out, but you're in the wrong here, not them. And for damaging my property, you'll be punished."

I gave my slaves free lane, and it showed in the way they dressed and the rooms they stayed in. I didn't withhold food, unnecessary cruelty didn't, in my opinion, equal getting better service. I had much more creative ways to punish. It put starvation to shame.

But perhaps I should take a different route with this one. He wasn't like the others to begin with, and placing him there was a mistake. There was also the fact that Soraya, along with my sister, proclaimed him unstable and unfit for service. In any other situation, and with another slave, I would've agreed to sell him. But I didn't.

Because the reason I brought him still stand. He was there to get the steam off, and that was exactly how he'd be treated. I've made a mistake putting him in a situation he wasn't used to, or trained for.

"You'll be stripped of all privileges I gave you when you arrived. I'm feeling generous, and so you'll be getting food twice a day, but apart from that, you'll start earning everything else and will be kept in that cage at all times. Until, that is you earn a mattress. Understood?"

I waited for his response, and he nodded gravely. My tut showed my displeasure, and he spoke, "I understand, Sir."

"Verbal." I reproached, "When I ask a question, you answer it verbally. Your answer when I order something depends on the situation, and you'll learn when to affirm my order in time. But for now, you answer my questions verbally, yes?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I've neglected you these past few days, and haven't bothered with instructions on how to behave." I say, "So here's another note, When you lower your head, you don't lower your eyes with them. You need to at least be able to see my hands in your peripheral vision, if I so wished you to follow me, or order you to come, the fingers will tell you."

I think this Adam is much nicer than the older version.
How was this part, let me know of your thoughts.