Odette: Path A

"I'm nothing!" I screamed and he let me go. I dropped back down and he grabbed my hips again. He began jackhammering into me.

It lasted forever it seemed like, much longer than he had lasted the other times. All I could do was sob and beg for it to end.

He finally shoved into me and stayed, throbbing and spending himself, then dropped onto me, forcing me to my belly on the pallet as he laid on top of me. He took hold of my hair again and yanked my head back. "What are you?"

"Nothing," I answered, shaking.

"What are you?" he yelled.

"Nothing!" I sobbed loudly.

He let me go again and pulled out roughly before standing up.

"Get up, girl." I staggered to my feet, but hunched in on myself in pain. He took my arm and pulled me outside, then off to the right. He shoved me towards what looked like outhouses. "Hurry up and get cleaned up," he demanded.

When I came out, he was further away, talking to Rast. I considered running, but Rast looked right at me just as I considered it. Hass followed his gaze and motioned me over. I hurried to him, half hiding from Rast as he curled his lip.

Hass took my arm and dragged me to a small lean-to where a man was setting things out on a table next to a chair. I stared, horrified at the paper with the symbol Hass had drawn on it and the rudimentary tattoo things the man was setting up.

"No!" I begged, freezing up.

Hass picked me up and dropped me into the seat with force. "Go on and fight!" he said angrily. "See what it gets ya! We got stocks here too, girl!"

I was shaking violently when the man nodded at Hass. Hass untied the tie on the front of my dress and opened it, ripping it several inches as he did. He exposed my entire left breast, then moved behind me, holding my shoulders.

The man ran his thumb over a spot above my breast, half on the top of it. "'Ere?"

"Lower, here," Hass said, groping my breast and running his thumb along the inner top, lower than the man had touched.

The man nodded, then picked up the old tattoo needle and flipped it on. No cleaning, no sterilizing, nothing. Hass let my breast relax and hang, but he didn't let it go as he leaned over me, watching.

The man jammed the needle in and I screamed, turning to hide my face in Hass's arm. "Please! Please! I will be good, I will make you happy, I swear it! I will never run or fight, oh god PLEASE!" I cried hysterically.

"Ain't about that, girl," he said, sounding almost like he was trying to soothe me.

"She needs ta stop talkin and ease her breathin," the man said, his meaty hand groping my breast painfully.

"Be still," Hass said gently in my ear.

"This is forever! Please!"

"Shut your mouth girl," the man demanded, squeezing painfully, making me squeal and grip Hass's arm tighter.

"Hurt her again and I will slit your throat with that fucking machine," Hass hissed.

The man relaxed his hold on my breast, just putting his fingers where he needed to work. "Hold'r still," he said grumpily. He jammed the needle in again and Hass shoved his leather belt in my mouth. I bit down and pressed my face to his arm, clutching him.

An hour later I was curled up on the pallet and he was sitting across the tent, looking at me. I was half in shock, my mind numb. I had a tattoo of a symbol that looked like a greater than and less than mark almost touching points Within them were smaller symbols pointing the other way. Two large ones in, and within those, two small ones out. I didn't know or care what it meant.

He stood up and left, then came back in a few minutes with a bowl. He set it on the low table. "Come eat," he demanded.

I wasn't even remotely hungry, but I moved over next to him and ate the stew mechanically.

"Don't go getting' wrong in your head," he demanded.

I looked at him. Was he serious? "I won't" I said softly, pushing the bowl back.

"C'mon," he said, getting up and pulling me up too. He led me away from the little village, people staring after us. He took me to a small trickling stream, then followed it up a ways until there was a short waterfall. He pulled his clothes off, pausing to give me a hard look. I started pulling my own clothes off hastily.

The water was freezing, but I didn't care. I felt clean, finally. He turned to me in the water and looked down at the tattoo. His eyes raised to mine as he cupped my breast and ran his thumb just under the tattoo.

"At's me," he said, pointing his chin at the ink.

"It means I am yours?" I asked softly, shivering.

"Means I found ya anyway. Any man who has ya after will know I had ya first."

"I see," I managed, stepping out from under the waterfall and squeezing water from my hair. "That's your name? Hasslin?"

"Some. What it means. I ain't bond'n ya, girl."

"Is that like marrying?" I asked, pulling my clothes back on.

"What y'all from below call it."

"Ok."

"I aim to use ya hard and send ya off."

"Ok," I answered again, sitting down and hugging my knees, still shivering.

He stood in the water like it wasn't bothering him, looking at the rocks as he let the water trickle down his back.

"I take you to Mor's Mabon and Willa'll want ya there."

"Who is Willa?"

"Cailleach."

"Witch? What makes her a witch?"

"Queer as fuck how you talk, girl. Knowin' the old words like you was a cailleach yourself. Maybe you are. I don't care. She aint keepin ya. She tries, you say no. You ain't nothin. Not cailleach, not nothin to me. Just a girl I get to use till I am tired of ya. Say it."

"I'm nothing. Just your plaything."

"Plaything. Yeah. That's what you are. You know your way back to my place?"

"I think so."

"Go on."

I got up, but hesitated. "If I go back without you and Bayn see's me..."

He made an angry noise and shoved back off the rock, moving towards me. I flinched, expecting a blow, but he just yanked up his clothes and started back towards the village. I followed, astonished that he had no issues walking into the village without a stitch on. I also watched his tight, round ass as he walked and the way the sides dimpled with every step.

He pushed me ahead of him into the tent, then followed me.

I didn't know why I did it, wanting to stay on his good side I supposed, but I pulled my clothes off and got on the pallet on my hands and knees. I had my backside pointed at him and I stared at the floor, half afraid he was going to punish me or worse somehow, ignore me.

He did neither and he knelt behind me with his hands on my hips. He slid his hand up my back to my hair and pulled me up so I was pressed against him. "You wantin' ta go wild for me girl?" he asked, his voice low.

I assumed that was how he referred to me having an orgasm. "If you want me to? If you do with me?"

He grabbed a fistfull of hair and yanked me up, turning my face to look at his. He was so close, I assumed he was about to kiss me, but he didn't. He just stared at me like he was trying to read my face. Like he was trying to look into my soul. I shifted uncomfortably, wondering what he wanted.

He let me go and pushed me to the pallet, then turned me to my back. He pulled my legs apart and moved between them, then looked down at my face as he ran two fingers through my slit. He looked amused now and a little bit pleased. He rolled his thumb over my clit, watching me carefully as I began squirming and writhing, my need rising.

His cock was hard and ready and my eyes dropped to it. I knew my face must have betrayed me because he gave me a low chuckle.

"Come on then, girl," he said with a grin, grabbing my legs and pulling me closer. He leaned over me so that he was face to face, giving me that sultry smirk. Now he was going to kiss me, I was sure of it. He looked down at me, his eyes holding mine, but that was all. No kiss. No way to hide my face or my fear or discomfort.

He nudged my legs further apart after his smirk faded. He looked... offended, or hurt. He grabbed my leg, pulling it high to wrap around him and pressed his cock to my slit.

"This what you want, girl?" he asked, looking down at me, the humor gone from his voice.

I had no idea what to say or do to make him happy again! Did he want me to kiss him?

"Yes?" I whispered, unsure of myself.

He looked down at me, cocking his head. For a moment, I thought he was going to pull away, get up, yell at me. Instead he looked away and pushed into me with a low growl. I gasped, my hands flying to his arms as his curved cock immediately hit that spot inside of me that sent little thrills through me. I felt so full and his cock felt amazing sliding into me again and again.

"Go wild for me, girl," he demanded in a whisper.

"Yes... I... I... oh, please yes!!" I begged, my hand going to his hip, urging him to move faster.

He obliged, thrusting hard and fast, watching my face as I tried to hide against his wrist, gripping his wrist in one hand, his hip in the other. The orgasm hit me like a tidal wave, just as I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen, he was watching me too closely and I was too self conscious. I cried out and my back arched, higher and higher, my toes curling as I went taut all over and my pussy walls clenched his cock hard enough that he grit his teeth and went still inside of me. My body twitched and I could only moan and let it take me along for the ride.

I finally came down, breathing heavily and so incredibly satisfied that all I wanted to do was sleep. He started thrusting again, more slowly now and when I opened my eyes he was watching me still. I managed a weak smile and a contented sigh as he stared down at me, so incredibly intense. It made me uncomfortable, not knowing what he wanted, not being able to read him. I closed my eyes and pressed my eyes to his wrist. Finally, he lowered himself and I felt his mouth on my neck and jaw.

"Mmmm," I encouraged, turning to nuzzle into him. He bit my jaw gently, then my neck, dragging his teeth and pulling, sucking. It felt good, even if it was foreign. He did it over and over again, biting, sometimes hard, usually soft, all up and down my neck, shoulder, jaw and ear. Finally he picked up his pace and I knew he was getting close. I turned to him and pulled his face to mine, pulling him in for a kiss.

He was awkward, his lips touching mine, but not really kissing me. He pulled back and turned his head slightly. "I seen you below folk do that, smash your lips against each others all queer like."

"You don't kiss?" I asked, starting to lose myself again.

"Naw. Why do you do it?"

"To show.... Oooh... to show fondness and...hst! Ohhh! If... if we like each other! Oh! Please, yes, faster Hass! Harder, please!"

"You going wild for me again, girl?" he asked, sounding excited.

I came again, my legs wrapped around him as I bucked up against him and wailed out in pleasure. Almost as soon as my pussy stopped clenching and twitching, he came inside of me with a low growl, his hand going to my throat as he pressed his body against mine. I feared for a moment that he meant to choke me, but he just held his fingers there as he trembled above me.

He relaxed his body, leaning slightly to the side, then pressed his jaw to my temple. He laid there, half crushing me, holding my throat as his cock went soft inside of me. I didn't mind it so much, my body was content and languorous and I felt pleasantly sleepy. I slid my trapped arm up through his shoulder and neck and held his head close to me, toying with his hair happily. It was fine and silky soft. Another almost feminine thing about him. No wonder he kept it shorter than almost everyone else did. He made an appreciative noise and I knew he liked me playing with his hair.

I jerked awake to darkness and being crushed. Hass came awake, tense all over, his hands tightening around me as he lifted his head on alert. He made a noise of annoyance and started to snuggle back where he had been.

"You are crushing me," I whispered, pushing at him gently. "And my arm is asleep and I am freezing on my whole left side where I don't have a human blanket."

He made another annoyed noise as he rolled off of me. I climbed into the blankets and he got in next to me, pulling me close and throwing his arm and leg over me as he buried his face in my hair again.

We were both woken in the morning by yelling outside. "Hass! You up? Hass!"

Hass lifted his head, looking angry and still half asleep. "Fuck off Dev! What's so all fire important?"

"Draoidh Lukel wants to see the girl."

"Tell him no. Not till after Mabon!"

"He says it ain't about that! Clan Ard is passin' through and Mika wants to see the girl."

"Fuck," Hass hissed, pushing himself up angrily. "Go on then!" he yelled. Hass tossed me my dress as he began dressing.

I pulled it close, watching him warily. "We can't have five more minutes?" I asked longingly, laying back on the pillow. "You were so warm and comfortable... and it was nice. Your arms feel good. You are just the right size to spoon me properly."

His dark expression had eased, but then went confused. "Spoon?"

"The way we slept, you spooned up against me, like two spoons fitting perfectly together."

His face lit up and he looked amused. "Spoon. Y'all below folk have a word for ever'thin. I like spoon though."

"I never liked spooning before, but I did last night. You are just right for spooning with. So five more minutes?"

He chuckled. "Get dressed, girl. Mika is here ta see ya. Spoon after."

I got dressed, half smiling, glad I was able to ease his mood.

Mika was an older woman, old enough to be my mother, but not grandmother. She was also stern looking and her look said that I was surely about to waste her time. She watched me approach with Hass and without preamble, she said, "Cò a tha thu airson a thighinn an seo agus tagradh a dhèanamh gus eòlas fhaighinn oirnn?"

"I... I don't claim to know anyone, or your ways. I am no one. I am a girl from Atlanta. I don't know how or why I understand you."

"Gidheadh tha thu a 'bruidhinn an t-seann chànan."

"I understand it, I don't know that I speak it."

"Dè an t-ainm a th 'ort?"

"Odette Springmeyer. And before you ask, I didn't know my folks, just my moms mom, my Gemma."

"A bheil Hasslin an dùil do cheangal?"

Hasslin tensed, hearing his name and I squeezed his hand slightly. "No, he does not intend to bond me. When he is done with me, he..."

I trailed off as she shot forward and yanked my dress open, exposing the tattoo. "He gave you his mark," she said, looking at Hasslin now.

I answered quickly. "As one would brand a cow or a pig, so everyone would know who claimed me first. Who had me first. I am nothing to him."

She looked down at his hand holding mine and he immediately let me go with an angry shove. "If you have no interest in the girl," she said to Hass, "send her with me to Mabon, let me test her with Willa."

"I will bring her to Mabon when I am done using her," he said angrily. "I am done with this!" He grabbed my wrist and yanked me along behind him.

"Hasslin Olc!" the woman called sharply. "You would disobey the will of a cailleach of another clan?"

Hass kept walking as if she hadn't spoken.

"Coinnichidh sinn a-rithist, nighean," she called to me.

I sighed, looking over my shoulder at her. Yes, I was sure we would meet again. Unfortunately.

He dragged me into his tent and swung my arm towards the pallet as he let go, making me stumble and roll. I sat up, righting myself. "I guess this means no spooning?" I asked as he paced.

He stopped and looked at me, his mouth twitching. More calmly, he sat down in front of me, facing me with his legs crossed. It was distracting considering he wore nothing under his kilt and his cock was on full display.

I tried hard to look him in the eye and my cheeks suffused with red from the amount of effort it took.

"Listen to me, girl. Mabon is coming. You will meet more draoidh and cailleach. You must ignore them if they speak to you in the old tongue, pretend you do not hear them. If you do not, they will try an' take you."

I looked up at him, almost sadly. "Take me from you? I thought you did not care?"

His face went red. "I don't! I don't. But I will not let the Mor's have you. No. Rast wants you. I will give you to him!"

"Rast will hurt me and you know it. So why shouldn't I save myself and speak old tongue when they ask? If it is for another reason though... I mean, if you just needed someone just the right size to spoon with. Someone to go wild with. Something like that, that would be different. I would be more willing to feign ignorance if I knew I was coming back here," I said, gesturing to the pallett and him.

It wasn't true. I didn't want to stay with him at all, I just wanted him happy and not angry.

He looked me over guardedly. "You ain't nothin to me," he said, leaning back on one elbow.

"I know!" I said breathlessly, my eyes dropping. "But I... I am happy here. I..."

Without letting myself think about it, I surged forward and shoved his kilt up his thighs, immediately taking his cock in my mouth. His hands gripped my hair, but eased their grip immediately as I sucked his soft cock to hardness. He laid back with a soft moan and used his hands to guide me. He came quickly, surprising me. I moved up to lay next to him, turning so he could spoon me. He turned and put his arm over me, then bit my shoulder. Was that how they kissed? The biting?

We laid there until we both fell asleep again. I woke as he was getting up, leaving without a word. I got up and stepped out, meaning to call after him since I needed to use the restroom, but he was already gone. I went to the place he had shown me and he met me on my way back to his tent. He had two plates and he looked a little guarded.

"Hey," I said softly, taking one of the plates from him and going to his tent.

He followed me in and we sat at the little table. "Don't leave unless I say you can," he said as he sat down.

"Sorry, I didn't know where you went or how long you would be gone and I needed the ladies room. I was coming right back."

He rolled a shoulder and looked at me as if he wanted to say something. I was pretty sure I knew what the subject was, at least.

He finally spoke. "I watch the border to the below. Me and some other boys. We make sure no one fucks with us, our people. Tries to come up."

"I see. And that means if you kept me that I would be alone a lot?"

He leaned back on his elbow, giving me a scowl. "Means I couldn't no more. I'd have to stay around here. I ain't meant to stay in one place. Or with one girl. I don't want that."

"I understand. You could always let me go. Back down below."

He snorted. "Naw. Once the mountain has you, there ain't no goin' back. Side's, you speak to Bhienn. Bhienn speaks through you. You cain't leave."

"So I have to stay, but you do not want me to speak to these old ones, the witches and the druids. What do you want me to do? Stay here and wait around for you? Like the girl does for Bayn?"

"Puca? She is different. She is... more like one of us. If you were in the stocks... she would come to you and use you as a man does. Even Rast does not cause so much fear. She lives as a man might here, but takes Bayn to her bed when he comes back."

"I see. So what would you have me do?"

He sat and thought for a moment, then turned away and got up and left.

It was late before he returned and I was in bed, almost asleep. As soon as he got close, I knew he was drunk and I went stiff as he pawed at me. He groped and bit too hard, rolling me and biting into my breast roughly. He yanked my dress off clumsily and jerked angrily when my arm caught in it. He tossed it away and backhanded me hard enough to make me see spots.

"Never fight me!" he roared.

"I didn't! I swear! It just got caught..."