Caged Ch. 01

"Please?" he smirked.

"Please." I could ask if I needed to. I didn't need to be a hard ass all the time. And if it helped keep him from bruising me further, I was willing to a point.

Harland laughed. "And here I was told that you weren't reasonable. You feel reasonable enough to me."

I didn't speak, I couldn't trust my runaway mouth to open and give them reason to hurt me more. He was the only man in here and I felt a bit more giving. I lifted my arms over my head, shimmying the rough clothing they given me. It had rubbed against different parts of my body, leaving them sore and red. I tried to ignore the sores but I knew if I didn't wash it off, I could get infection.

The man, Harland, ran his eyes over the darkness of the bruises. He got out a piece of paper and a pen and began to write on it quickly. When he was done, he waved Randolph and Spence to join him at the table.

I couldn't hear what they were saying right off, it was very low but I knew it was about me. Randolph said something else and I watched in horror as Randolph's hand was chopped off with one strike of a machete.

Then he seemed to be giving Spence a choice. I felt bad for him which still didn't mean that I would forgive him from what he'd done to me. I heard my name called and I turned just in time to see Spence's head fly from his body. He almost seemed to spin, he tried to move but then Harland called for his clean up crew. He walked over to where I was washing.

"I did that for you," he whispered carefully missing the spray of water.

"For me?" I crinkled my forehead. "So why must they be punished in such a way?"

It's to be an example for my other crews. You are not to be touched. You will be doing the cooking and cleaning the house as well as darn and mend for any and all of the crew. You are going to be giving a free ride. But you will not use your powers in any way that will be construed as dangerous.

I wanted to laugh at his terms. I could have free rein and I wasn't allowed to use any of my magic or change into my beast. Why would he be stupid enough to order that and expect me to behave? Well fuck him and his group of boy scouts. If I found a way out, I was going to take it. I did my best to hide my decision even after Harland handed me a towel. I dried off as quickly as I could but my brows furrowed when I wasn't given my shift to put back on.

Harland stared down at me with a crooked smile upon his lips. "Come on, sweetness. We've got two more stops to make before you can go to your room."

I tried to cover myself with the skimpy little towel I'd been given. I could feel my hair dripping down my back.

Harland stopped at a flap and pulled me through. He stopped at a trunk, reaching in to pull out a shift and a dress, both of soft cotton. "The boss don't like it when the girls get hurt, especially when it could be fixed so easily. Dress, or do wish for me to help you?"

I pulled the slip shaped shift over my head. It was short, only covering me to just below the curve of my ass. Then unbuttoned the dress and stepped into it. It was soft and smelled good and it fit as if it had been made for me alone. "Thank you, Harland."

His cheeks turned red and he blustered about for a minute or two until he grabbed my arm again and led me out of the room. "I think it's time for a bit of a family reunion."

He pushed through another flap off another tent. I couldn't see her in the gloom and murky dusk. But I damn well could smell her. "Tippin?"

A part of the floor rose and started toward me. Harland stood in front of me and gave Tippin a warning. Then I pushed past him to take her in my arms. "Tippin? Are you okay?"

To be continued ...