by Randi Darren
Wheezing, Linne lifted her chin up. Her hands fluttered in the tub, but she seemed to resist the urge to grab at him.
“Okay,” she croaked. “E-e-everything for nothing.”
“Accepted,” Steve said, pressing his teeth to the side of her head. He scraped his teeth along her flesh, contemplating how much damage he could do to her but still keep his promise to Nikki. “Drowning or strangling?”
“I didn’t know, Steve. I didn’t know. I didn’t, I really didn’t, I wouldn’t have—” Linne groaned when Steve closed his hand tighter, cutting off her words.
“No more apologies,” Steve said. “You’re my property. Willingly. Aren’t you?’
Linne nodded her head, unable to speak, her face starting to sweat. She still kept her hands in the tub, though.
“Now, drowning or strangling?” Steve asked, moving down to bite her cheek. He did ease up the pressure on her neck, though.
“S-s-s-strangling,” Linne whimpered.
“Delightful,” Steve said, and then proceeded to do just that. He knew how much pressure to apply now that he’d actually practiced with Nancy.
Ten seconds in, he let her go when her body started to tremble in the tub.
Taking in a massive gulp of air, Linne let out a sob.
“Please, Steve, master, lord, my owner, please,” Linne begged in a pant. “Please. Please. Everything of me is yours. There’s no need to kill me. I can do so much.”
“Hmm,” Steve said. Then he turned his head toward the bedroom.
The soldier was lying there, exactly in the position he’d left her in. Her hands over her chest, ankles together, straining to watch him while only moving her head.
“You, get my pet some clothes,” Steve said. “We’ll be leaving momentarily. I need to take her home and get her settled.”
“Yes! Of course! May I move?” asked the soldier.
“Yup, get going,” Steve commanded.
Hopping off the bed, the soldier immediately scurried off.
“Thank you—thank you, Steve, thank you,” said Linne, sounding extremely relieved. “Thank you. I’ll serve you so well. So well. I’ll be your everything. As many children as you want, sex in any way, as often as you want. I’ll… I’m yours. All yours.”
No. You aren’t.
You’ll be a corpse.
But you don’t need to know that right now. Clearly you were smart enough to know your place. To surrender and give your wretched self to me.
Clever enough to sign yourself away for nothing.
But… it won’t matter. You’ll die, and I’ll enjoy it. Until then, though, your absolute humiliation will be more than enough.
More than enough.
There was a vague heat in his pocket. It was steadily growing hotter by the second. To the point that it was actually getting uncomfortable.
Holding tight to Linne’s throat and ignoring her constant stream of thanks, promises of sexual heaven, and all the duties she’d commit to, Steve leaned away from her. He reached into his pocket with his right hand and found what was causing him a problem.
Sitting in his palm was the green stone he’d received from the river.
From Misty.
He felt distinctly that it was unhappy with him. Unhappy with how he was behaving.
Guilt immediately welled up from inside him. He knew this was indeed not something Misty would wish.
Except… she wasn’t here to tell him that. All that was left of her was maybe, possibly, the stone in his hand.
And there was no proof of that.
None.
The reason Misty wasn’t here was because Linne killed her.
Killed her, Xivin, Shelly, and Kassandra.
Holding Linne by the neck, Steve stood up, frowning. Not struggling, not even bothering to hold on to his arm, Linne gurgled softly, dangling in his grasp. Water ran off her and into the tub, her pristine skin glistening.
Her reaction to everything, that she was so complacent, so willing, and so absolutely defeated, made it harder for him to simply bash her head in.
Contemplating the stone in his hand, Steve was conflicted.
No… we’ll… no.
Setting Linne down on her feet, Steve moved his hand around to the back of her neck. She wasn’t going to be let go for any reason until they were much further away.
Then Steve tucked the stone back into his pocket. The uncomfortable heat didn’t fade or go away.
Instead, it served as a reminder for him.
To keep moving and complete his promise to Nikki.
“I name myself the citadel commander,” Steve muttered as he stewed on his anger for Linne.
Thirty-Four
Steve began to slowly walk Linne down the stairs from her personal rooms.
The soldier, whose name he’d refused to learn, remained in Linne’s bedroom. Only after having gone and fetched Steve an iron collar and a good length of heavy iron chain.
Linne was wearing that collar now, and the heavy iron chain was linked to her collar and clutched firmly in Steve’s left hand.
“If you misbehave at all, my pet, I’m going to yank on this chain,” Steve growled. “I imagine it’d break your neck, or simply remove your head. Do you understand?”
“Of course. I understand completely,” Linne promised. “I’m all yours, Steve. All yours. Do with me as you please. Just give me direction.”
“Tell everyone who asks that you’re my pet, you’re doing what you wish, and you’re leaving with me. Instruct everyone else to stay here. Just like I told the soldier back there to tell everyone,” Steve commanded. “Oh, and get the gates closed on the Creep.”
“Certainly. That’s not a problem at all. I’m your pet, after all,” Linne said easily.
Steve grunted, really not liking that answer.
Her complete subservience really was keeping him from turning her head into paste. But it also set his nerves on edge. To say Steve was leery and distrustful of her was an understatement.
Rattling as they went down step by step, the chain felt like a firm, reassuring presence in his hand. As if it didn’t weigh anything at all and was actually holding Steve up.
When they reached the disgusting bloody mess that had been a soldier earlier in the day, Steve found a group of soldiers waiting there for him.
Each one had a spear and was wearing full armor.
“Good evening,” Steve said, giving Linne’s chain a very light pull.
“Good evening,” Linne said. “I’m going for a walk with my master. I’m very excited for this opportunity to be with him. I’m not sure when I’ll return, but I don’t think it’ll be anytime soon.
“Please pass my command to my champion and instruct everyone to remain at the citadel, while closing the gates to the Creep.”
“C… Commander Linne?” asked one of the soldiers. They all were pointing their spears toward Steve.
“Yes?” Linne asked.
“Are you… alright?” asked a second soldier.
“I’m very well. As I said, I’m going to go for a walk with my master. I’m extremely excited to be able to do this,” Linne said. “Now, if you don’t have any other questions, please get out of the way. My master is a busy man.”
“I… alright… Commander,” murmured the first soldier who had spoken. One of their number left at a jog, more than likely to go inform the champion who was receiving command.
All the spears were lowered.
Steve and Linne passed by them without incident. Though Steve did stare at them as they walked by, as if daring them to do something.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Steve realized just now how stupid this was going to be. They’d need to walk across a whole lot of real estate to get to the front gates.
Staring at the two guards on either side of the door, Steve had a brief trip down memory lane.
Last time he’d been through here, he’d nearly been assaulted and kidnapped by the soldiers.
“I’m going on a walk with my master,” Linne said, as if that explained everything.
“I… what?” asked the guard Linne had addressed.
“Please open the door. I’m going on a walk with my master,” Linne said.
The guard blinked, then opened the door, saying nothing else at all.
Moving out into the fresh air, Steve briefly considered grabbing Linne and just leaping out of here. He wasn’t sure if Linne would survive the jump, though.
Then again, does it matter?
Deciding he wanted to just jump his way to safety, Steve pulled on Linne’s leash.
“You! I challenge you!” came a shout.
Looking toward the owner of the voice, Steve found a rather large, muscular, and beautiful version of Linne. Same species, same coloring, same features. Though a bit more angular in the cheekbones and jaw. Even the color of her eyes was the same as Linne’s.
Though this woman was taller than Kimor and Siena both.
“Uh huh,” Steve drawled.
Hey, Shitty Steve, tell me about big and muscular over there.
Aubrey Ainne
Beastkin
Family- none
Champion- champion of a citadel city
Temporary Citadel City Leader- leader of a citadel city
“You related to my pet here?” Steve asked, holding up Linne’s chain.
“Your… what?!” asked Aubrey, her blue eyes going wide.
“She’s my pet. Now, are you related to her?” Steve asked again.
“She’s… much removed from my family, though we are of a relation,” Linne said mildly. She turned to look at Steve. “I technically have no family, however.”
“Huh,” Steve grumped, looking back at the rather large and impressive cat-girl champion. “If I win, I’m keeping you as a prize. You’ll be made to pleasure me with your mouth on command, and I may eventually bed you.
“And yes, I require a bet. Otherwise there’s no reason to fight you.”
“Hmph, stupid. You don’t stand a chance. I agree,” Aubrey said, folding her arms across her breastplate. “If I win, you’ll be my personal sex-slave. I’ll rent you out by the hour and feed you Harden until your heart gives out.”
“Oh? Alright,” Steve said. “Though before we begin, we’ll need another iron collar and chain. I’ll hold both of you with the left hand, and you can start earning your keep tonight, Aubrey.”
Growling, Aubrey flicked a hand at someone else nearby. Then she picked up a very large two-handed mace that was nearby.
“Going to have to try not to kill you with this. You can still hump a bunk with only one arm, right?” Aubrey said, sneering at him. “Might turn your bones to powder.”
“Hah, yeah. Don’t worry, though—I won’t hurt you at all. I’m going to slap you down till you surrender,” Steve said, thinking back to how he’d won Kimor.
“Slap me? I’m going to take your arm, after all!” Aubrey roared and then charged him.
Not releasing Linne’s leash, Steve stood there and waited.
Aubrey swung her weapon across at him, far outside of his range and reach.
Not even trying to step away from it, Steve stepped into it and punched out at the head of the mace.
A massive clang sounded, and the sharp crack of her handle breaking in half was like a thunderclap.
The head of Aubrey’s mace shot away and smashed through a soldier standing nearby.
Pulling on Linne’s leash, Steve moved forward toward Aubrey, who had been spun around with the force of his punch. So much so that she’d ended up falling to her knees, facing away from him.
“Huh,” Steve said, walking up behind her. Reaching down, he wrapped his right hand around her throat and then pulled her up to her feet. “Well, that was rather brave of you. Very brave considering you’ve likely seen me fight before.”
Steve peered into Aubrey’s face as she scrabbled at his wrist with her hands. Trying to find some way to break his hold on her throat.
Somehow, she squirmed out of his grasp and took several steps away from him. Her hands came up in some sort of defensive pose.
“Very brave,” Steve said with some admiration. “You’re probably as stupid as Kimor, though. Maybe more so. At least she’ll have someone to talk to about dumb things.”
Aubrey sniffed at that and then launched forward, her fists moving faster at him than he could actually register.
Steve’s head cracked to one side and then the other. Aubrey went low and put two punches into his stomach, then threw an uppercut that actually snapped Steve’s head straight up.
Feeling like she’d actually rung his bell, though it didn’t really hurt, Steve looked back at Aubrey. She was a few steps away now, looking pleased with herself.
“Wow,” Steve said, actually wondering if he had to take her seriously to a degree. She was simply faster than him. Using a weapon had slowed her down.
“You like that?” Aubrey said. “You’re welcome to admire me. Maybe I’ll let you mount me once rather than having you on your back, if you do.”
“I mean… they were good. But… you did notice it didn’t do anything to me, right?” Steve asked. “Or… I guess… you really are dumber than Kimor.”
“I’m not dumb,” Aubrey said, her face pulling down into a frown.
“Yeah, you’re dumb,” Steve said. “But so very, very brave. I like it. I like it a lot. I’m going to try to be gentle now, okay?”
Aubrey wrinkled her nose and actually hissed at him, baring sharp fangs.
In a flash, she was moving toward him again.
Steve didn’t bother to try to doge, block, or move away.
Instead, he just focused on slapping Aubrey as gently as he could.
There was a whipcrack-like sound, and the massive cat-girl went sprawling to the ground in a heap.
“Shit. Are you okay?” Steve asked, immediately moving over to Aubrey.
Slowly, shakily, Aubrey got to her feet.
“I’m gonna… gonna beat you down,” she slurred. “You stupid… stupid stupid.”
“Did… you just call me a stupid stupid?” Steve asked, grinning.
“Stupid stupid,” Aubrey repeated, her eyes almost unable to track him.
Sighing, though still grinning, Steve walked up to the cat-girl and grabbed her around the throat with his free hand.
Aubrey futilely grabbed at his wrist. This time, she wasn’t able to slip away from him.
Ignoring her attempts since she couldn’t do anything to him, Steve began to gently squeeze down on her neck. Pulling her in close, he began to inspect her face.
He couldn’t see any harm that he’d caused.
Okay. She looks okay. I probably just… nearly gave her a concussion? I’ll make her drink some of my canteen. Maybe make her finish it off.
Pity it’s the last of my watering-can water. Need to get to Filch.
“Your kin here is rather pretty, my pet,” Steve said, looking deeply at Aubrey. Her cheeks were starting to turn red, and he could hear her breathing, though clearly it was a bit of a struggle.
“Aubrey was always the pretty one in her family,” Linne said.
“Alright. You done, Aubrey? Or do you need another slap?” Steve inquired. He really hoped she was done.
Such a brave little thing. I want to keep her and take her home.
Hiren, Beati, and Felisa didn’t even try.
You’ll be a lot of fun to train as a witch-knight, I bet.
Even if you are stupid.
“Beat-you-down,” Aubrey gurgled.
“Right. I’m going to slap you again, okay? I need you to hold your teeth together so you don’t lose any or bite your tongue,” Steve instructed. “Do you understand?”
“Ride-you-after-I-beat-you-down,” Aubrey got out.
Laughing at that, Steve sighed and set Aubrey down on her feet again.
“Clench your teeth, love,” Steve said. He really didn’t want to hit her again, but she was leaving
him with no choice.
Aubrey leered at him, her lips spreading into a smile. A trickle of blood was seeping down from the corner of her mouth.
Must have bit her cheek. Damn, I wish—
The massive cat-girl promptly fell flat on her face, unmoving on the ground.
“Oh. Good,” Steve said. Reaching down, he flipped Aubrey over on her back to check her over.
Snoring hard and heavy, the champion was completely out.
“Eh… she’s fine,” Steve said, prying at her jaw to look into her mouth. He could see exactly where her teeth had cut into her cheek. It didn’t look too bad.
“Who’s got that collar and chain for me?” Steve asked, looking up to the surrounding soldiers.
They were standing there in absolute shock.
“No one? Do I need to start handing out beat-downs?” Steve asked. “Someone go get me an iron collar and a chain. I have to take my pets on a walk.”
Several soldiers in heavy bronze armor, veterans of the citadel, the endless war with the Creep, and having lived a life of never-ending combat, went scurrying in every direction. Clearly intent on doing what he’d told them to.
“Good,” Steve said. Then he looked back at Aubrey. “Ah, my poor love. I do hope you’ll wake up soon. Carrying you on my shoulder will be rather awkward when I’m holding Linne’s leash.”
For whatever odd reason, Steve felt a strange affinity for the hulking idiot known as Aubrey.
He could truly appreciate someone charging forward, despite what anyone else would think, and just fighting. In truth, it felt a lot like his entire life up to this point, regardless of how short it had been.
Grabbing Aubrey by her breastplate, he heaved her up onto his left shoulder. He curled his left arm around her thighs and gave Linne’s leash a tug.
“Stay where I can see you, my pet,” Steve commanded.
“Of course, Master,” Linne said, moving quickly to stand in front of him.
Standing there, Steve decided to wait for Aubrey’s collar and leash.
***
Snoring away, Aubrey was quite asleep. Sprawled out like someone trying to make a snow angel, the big woman took up a lot of space.
When Steve had removed her armor, he’d found she was put together in a lovely way that he was quite appreciative of.
