The Bid

by Jacquelyn Frank

  Jhon could appreciate why control and discipline were necessary.

  Hanna leaped at him through the air and, just when he thought he was going to end up with a few new scratches, she hit the top of her arc and the golden white light flashed blindingly, spitting her out in the form he was more used to. She landed against him and toppled him to the ground, but he was little worse for wear. So Jhon found his arms full of a naked blue-limbed beauty, her loose hair tumbling all over him and her bright eyes laughing down at him.

  “Isn’t it wonderful?” she declared with delight. She scrambled up onto her knees and, straddling the width of his chest, threw her arms up toward the bright sky and breathed deep. “It’s so freeing to be the whole cat,” she confided. “I go through every day with half the cat inside me, seeing and feeling and listening to everything, even reacting a little with those instincts, but when you become the bellcat…oh, I can’t wait for you to see for yourself!”

  “Neither can I,” he agreed.

  Najir stood back and watched as his beautiful Master moved with steady ease through the Chamber of Masters, selecting whom she wanted to speak with very carefully and with obvious sincerity of emotion and objective. He always liked watching her work. She was so passionate about her causes and used her power and influence with the greatest of care and skill.

  But Najir also kept his eyes in a few other places.

  Leaning slightly to his right and keeping his voice low, he imparted information to Vejhon, who was attending with them for the first time. “There is the Baron,” he pointed out softly, knowing Jhon would follow his eyes easily.

  “The one who almost bought me,” Jhon mused.

  “The worst enemy our House has,” Najir corrected. “This man killed my Lady’s parents with his own hands. What’s more, he did it the eve before the passing of the Feud moratorium. He had several Masters assassinated who were going to vote for the sanctions, but he took personal pleasure in slaughtering my Lady’s mother and her favorite slave…my Lady’s father. The vote passed anyway because those like my Lady took up their parents’ mantles immediately, putting aside their mourning to see it get done.”

  “She is a courageous woman,” Vejhon agreed softly, consciously uncurling his fists as he thought of the pain she must have suffered at the Baron’s hands. “Her enemy is my enemy,” he murmured. “Why has no one punished him for his crimes if you all know of them?”

  “It was part of the moratorium law. All acts before the moment of that law’s passing were to be pardoned by all people. It only put in place punishments for future transgressions. The Baron knew that he would win either way the vote went, in a sense, so he simply enjoyed himself trying to swing it his way.”

  “Sick bastard.”

  “Exactly. And that merely scratches the surface. But he is not the only one to have a care for. Master Deyadou, there in pink, is infamous for his tantrums if he loses a vote that is important to him. Master Curro, with the russet hair, likes to buy votes, favors, and illegal things like the services of slipknives…assassins…and anything that will improve the wealth in his coffers. Master Gernat has a penchant for kidnapping slaves for either his own uses or ransoming. He’s not the only one, but he is the best at it.”

  “Thus your advice to always watch my back,” Jhon recalled grimly.

  “Your newness makes you a target because you are most likely to want to ‘run away,’ but your size will discourage as well. You wouldn’t be easy to take and transport without witnesses.”

  “It’s like watching her walk through a damn minefield,” Vejhon said with gruff concern as his eyes swept the room and tried to follow Hanna at the same time. “That one, in yellow with the strange hair and darker blue skin: I don’t like the looks of him.”

  “Mmm.” Najir tried to press the smile from his lips for a moment. “That is Master Fardes, and he craves my Lady greatly. Since she is unmarried, he thinks he might get her to become his wife one day. So he plots and plans and watches her with covetous eyes. And he isn’t the only one. Our Lady is considered quite beautiful among her people. Her wealth is an attractive asset. And then there is her power.”

  “Tough luck for them. She’s taken.” Vejhon growled low through his teeth. Then Jhon recalled whom he was speaking with and he stiffened in discomfort. He wasn’t the sort to gloat in the face of another man, and he and Najir had developed a careful sort of friendship as the more experienced slave taught Jhon how to be a slave without being a slave.

  Najir saw his discomfort and raised a hand to dismiss the matter. “You should be proud. And you must be protective of her. Take your glory in the prize you have earned, Jhon. She is one of a kind and needs someone who treasures that with voracity. The insult would be to take her for granted.”

  “To be truthful, I do not feel that I have earned anything. Fate and fortune played strange hands and luck alone landed me here. I do very little for her, and she provides everything for me. I am kept without earning my keep.”

  “An idea that chafes at men like us,” Najir agreed understandingly. “But give it time. My Lady leans on others a great deal in times of trial and we are all that supports her. Our strength and advice move her to make the daring strides she takes. Your value goes well beyond playing courtesan and stud. Believe me.”

  “You know, if we weren’t in public right now I think I’d belt you for that remark.”

  Najir chuckled. “I’m certain you would. I meant no insult. I merely know how you feel, is all.” He leaned closer. “Jhon, pray she never has serious use of your other talents. That would mean she was in danger, and with her brother missing…that will mean Ashanna becomes Master. Asha is spoiled and selfish, like many of these others. She is not ready to be here.”

  Jhon knew it was very true. Over the past days he had encountered Asha far more often than he had wanted to. The young woman was shameless in her behaviors and her appetites. When she wasn’t out catting around, she was constantly trying to catch Jhon and, he suspected, Najir alone so she could try out her charms on them. Najir was free to do what he liked as Jhon understood it, although he didn’t think he’d quite gone so far as to bed the chit yet. However, he was not free and she knew it. She was purposely trying to bait him to provoke her sister’s jealousies, though to what purpose he couldn’t quite figure out. Was it a heavy-duty case of sibling rivalry? What was fascinating about it was that Vejhon couldn’t be less interested in the minx if he tried. Now, he’d never been a one-woman guy before, never even having had a real relationship, but with Hanna…

  With Hanna everything was different.

  She wasn’t like any other woman he had known. She was hard-working, confident, strident when she needed to be, and she indulged in all of her appetites with relish—that last part a particular favorite of his. Food, sex, and play were her top three favorites once her responsibilities were met for the day. She also seemed to like the bazaar a great deal. She often went and returned empty-handed, but it was obvious she had enjoyed herself regardless.

  Hanna enjoyed her life in general. Unlike her whiny and conniving little sister, she took nothing for granted. Vejhon had started to develop a powerful core of respect for her. He understood now why Najir was so loyal and protective, and he even understood that it wasn’t all because of his emotional attachment to her. But Najir had kept withdrawn and quiet since Vejhon had woken from his three-day transition, keeping his feelings locked away from even the shrewdest eyes. He was dealing with them on his own, and again, Vejhon respected that.

  “Is Han—uh, my Lady going to the bazaar today?” Jhon winced when Najir turned a critical eye on him for the mistake. It was taking some adjustment for him to remember to address her properly in casual conversation that didn’t include her personally. When Hanna was there in person, he actually took great pleasure in titling her “my Lady.”

  “That is her plan. But today you will accompany her.”

  Jhon couldn’t conceal his surprise. For the last few days he had
been sent to the house after the COM session was over while Hanna took care of her other chores.

  “Is that wise? I’m only just getting the hang of navigating the city and the people in it.”

  “Your instincts are all you need once you master the issues of respect. You are there to serve her in everyone else’s eyes, but your true purpose is to protect her life.”

  “I don’t need you to tell me that,” Jhon said. “I am always prepared to protect her life.”

  “The trick, Vejhon, is to know the point when she cannot protect herself. Don’t ever forget that she is as much predator as you or I. Her rights to defend herself are clear. Yours are not. Only her word will save your life if you commit violence. No one else knows your slave band is inactive, allowing you to commit acts of bloodshed.”

  “How is it I was able to attack you when I had the true band on, Najir? If it’s supposed to keep me from being violent to anyone—”

  “Except other slaves. We have little value, in the end. The bands cancel each other out in altercations between slaves. Mine still recognizes yours in spite of its dysfunction. Both bands are in perfect working order with one exception: a chip is burned out that measures rising aggression hormones and body signs. If it never redlines, it never instigates the pain deterrent.” Najir lowered his voice further, knowing Jhon’s keen hearing could catch it easily. “The purpose is to make it look like accidental malfunction should you ever be caught, Jhon. So that blame cannot be placed on your Master.”

  “She would sacrifice us to protect herself?” Jhon asked in a hiss.

  “She would sacrifice us to protect her House, but never to protect herself. Especially not you, Jhon. You are too important to her.”

  “I’m sure.” Jhon responded with a frown. He knew Hanna wanted him to learn to shift to the Otherside and then to make love with her in that form because it would set her brother free from the Otherside. And then what was his next use? To breed kits with her? What else was there for him to do? He couldn’t take charge of her protection or security forces. He couldn’t stand beside her openly as she led her House. He was like a dirty little secret being quietly kept.

  Had he agreed to this? What was the point of all this change when Najir had done just as well, except to serve the needs of a brother seeking a new life and the ability to breed? The thought infuriated him, hot and fast and without any chance to control it. He knew in an instant that she’d heard it because her entire body jerked taut and she stopped speaking mid-sentence.

  “Master Drakoulous?” Master Harner asked politely. “Is everything all right?”

  “Quite,” she assured after taking a small breath. She couldn’t help looking over Harner’s shoulder and into the bellcat eyes of her lover. His thoughts of anger stung her hard, her throat closing up and forcing her to clear it before trying to speak again. “I just realized that…I hadn’t told you Asha is back in town for a brief visit and I know you and your daughter enjoy having her.”

  “Indeed we do!”

  Hanna let her peer express his fondness for her sister as her mind sought further thoughts from Vejhon. Her first instinct was to be defensive and hurt, and she was, but being so close to him now she knew his temper was a mighty force inside of him and she needed to give it respectful attention when it was guiding his emotions. Did he honestly think that was all he was to her? A means to a few ends? Had she been treating him as such?

  She prayed not. It had never been her intention to devalue him in any way. Her intentions had been very much the opposite! He was vital to her for…for many reasons. Wasn’t he?

  Her spirit deep within cried yes. She couldn’t name why or reason it out in her mind, but he was not so utilitarian to her as he thought. His companionship over these past two weeks had come to mean a great deal to her. At the first opportunity she would seek his advice because she knew as a former commander he had much to offer her.

  But you require more than just me, she thought with a painful swallow, realizing how selfish it was to expect to be the center of his world. Najir took great pleasure in doing so, but Jhon was very different.

  Vejhon heard the whispered thought of pained understanding in response to his unchecked anger and he instantly regretted allowing it free rein in this setting. Too much time to think was the problem. He needed better occupation. Would he ever be able to achieve that as a slave, pretend or not? In any event, it was something they should be discussing in private, not in emotional snatches across a chamber full of her peers.

  He softened his expression and messaged his regrets with the strength of his eyes alone. She smiled softly at him, then wider when he winked at her. She turned back to her conversation, and it pleased Jhon when she couldn’t resist sliding glances at him when she had the opportunity.

  Baron Majum watched these little exchanges closely, his fingers tapping out a steady, annoyed rhythm on his knee. She had trained the supposed barbarian much more quickly than he would have been able to credit anyone with. How did she do it? Was her cunt really that miraculous? It was clear she was using it to keep her gorgeous team content because they both watched her with completely devoted attention. Jhon had kept his temper well concealed, years of practice serving him, so Majum had missed that aspect of the exchange between him and Hanna.

  Why would she bring both of her toys to the COM if she wasn’t trying to flaunt them in his face? Majum thought angrily. He’d suffered the insult for days now and he had reached his limit. He knew for a fact Drakoulous was heading to the marketplace after COM was dismissed, and he had a little surprise planned for her. The best thing he could say about the High City was that it was very close to the Low City and it was wide open to such nefarious types. Types that would do anything for a little bit of money. He wasn’t expecting to excise the bitch as smoothly as he had her mother, a play he was infinitely proud of to this very day, but he was hoping to deprive her of at least one of her toys. Najir followed her everywhere, like a puppy completely devoted, and he was certain to be available for an unfortunate encounter with a few cutpurses. She also made the ridiculous error of sending the new one home alone every day. It made a terrific opportunity for him to “run away.”

  Really, it had taken him forever to make up his mind between them.

  15

  “I think you will enjoy the bazaar,” Hanna said to Vejhon as they walked along one of the clay-colored walkways with its white lined markings to differentiate it from the matching road. He was a respectful number of steps behind her, but he heard her easily.

  He didn’t care for the procession much, but he did find some benefits in it. He liked to watch her backside as she walked, the rope of her hair sweeping from side to side across it with every step because she had that natural slink to her walk that she just couldn’t shut off. Today she was wearing trousers, the pants as white as the buildings around her and as snug as her skin. Her blouse was more what he was used to on her, floating, feminine and shimmering silkiness in a splash of deep purple, and if she turned just right the sweet shape of her breast was formed perfectly in it.

  “I am sure I will. I enjoy seeing the city. The genetics for your skin and the dark hair among your people is quite dominant, but I have seen some intriguing people who are out of the mold and obviously not slaves.”

  “Those people are often coveted for marriages,” she noted. “Breeding with slaves is what is necessary, not what is generally wanted. Those with fewer PAN traits tend to be more fertile.”

  He noted her discomfort speaking of her people’s cavalier treatment of fertile slaves and understood it was his earlier flash of temper that made her sensitive to it. But the truth was that it was a part of his purpose in her life. There was no denying that.

  “Why do you suppose so many of you have become infertile?”

  “The Apocalypse. The entire world was destroyed by war, famine, and disease. Those few who survived had suffered sterilizing illnesses in many cases, and the genetic pool of this country started from
only forty-four families, Jhon. Forty-three if you take into account that my family wouldn’t breed with outsiders. From those families sprang all of this.” She swept her arms out to indicate the city. Since the entire city was on a mountain, all the streets were graded on a slope, and it allowed for a view to suit her point.

  “The introduction of slaves is not so old a practice as you may think,” she continued softly. “We were desperate. To go through all of that survival after the Apocalypse, only to be taken down again because our men were mostly sterile and our women little better? Have you any idea how horrifying it is to a society to be in a city this vast and have a zero-birth year?”

  She had stopped and faced him, looking up into his eyes with a plea for understanding in hers. “New genetics was our only choice. Unfortunately, fear made the COM choose their methods badly. Slavery had been ignored until then; we weren’t even part of the trade routes. Then we opened our doors to the flesh peddlers and it just went…”

  “Out of control?”

  “Yes. The corruption of owning others is amazingly powerful. People quickly become addicted to their power over a slave. Then it is only a matter of time before economy becomes dependent on it.”

  “Regardless of how it grew and evolved, Hanna, it still started as the intent to buy intelligent beings for the purpose of rape and forced procreation. Isn’t that horror enough?”

  “Yes,” she agreed, visible tears wetting her blue eyes in tandem with the hoarse catch of her voice. “It is. And I am afraid you think I am doing that to you.”

  Vejhon sucked a sharp breath in through his teeth. He reached out for her, ignoring protocol and catching her arms so he could pull her close to his body where their joint heat provided mutual comfort for them.

  “Hanna, I agreed to the terms you set and I don’t mind them. I thrill in being your lover. I will one day take great joy in fathering your children when we are ready for that. My trouble is that it isn’t all I can be. I need to be more. I need the right to be more.”