The Twelve Zenati Pt. 02

"It's nice to meet you, Gideon," Vivienne said, recovering from her initial shock after the tall, cheerful man entered the room.

"Trust me when I say it's more than nice to meet you. Gen is right you know. I don't get out often enough," he said, sadly. "You could take pity on me and come to dinner with me tonight and save me from yet another microwave mess," he invited.

"That would be nice, thank you. I could use an excuse to get away from the hospital and my research," Vivienne accepted, surprising both brothers.

"Great! Hear that Gen? I have a date!" Gideon said proudly.

"A pity date," Genesis chuckled.

"It still counts," he said, not concerned at all by his brother's teasing. "We can't all be lucky enough to be given little pixies to look after." He winked at the girl in the bed. "You're a lucky girl, Pixie. Genesis is very fussy about who he takes into his home. I hope you understand how fortunate you are," he said to her seriously. He knew exactly what his brother was doing with the girl and the challenges that faced them both. Gideon worried for Genesis. He wouldn't handle a failure in this challenge well. Gideon wanted to talk to Vivienne about her take on the situation, so he was more than pleased that she had accepted his offer of dinner.

"I do," Serena whispered after a quick look at Genesis, who glared at her until she responded. She wasn't used to being addressed by the people who came to see Remy, and the fact that the first of Genesis inner circle she had met spoke to her directly had startled her. She wanted Remy back desperately. She knew what to do, what to say, what to eat, how to look for Remy. She knew nothing about the man to whom she had been given, except that he didn't like her being rude and ignoring people when they spoke to her. She fought back the sting of tears as she thought about Remy, who would never have let her eat bread with her soup. She felt like she was betraying him by eating the small piece of bread that Genesis had torn off the roll and fed to her after dipping it into the hot soup.

"Eat, little one, before it goes cold," Genesis commanded, handing her the spoon.

"She hasn't eaten properly for a few days, Genesis. Perhaps just the soup to start with," Vivienne suggested, seeing the girl look at the bread roll like it was a horrific giant spider.

"You're the doctor, but she belongs to me now," he said meaningfully, giving Vivienne a quick glance. How was he supposed to be the ruthless Master that this girl needed if Vivienne kept telling him what to do in front of the girl? It was the last straw for him, and the familiar anger he experienced each time he hit a wall with this girl surfaced. "Eat, little one, so we can leave this place sooner rather than later, and not have to put up with doctors telling us what to do when they clearly don't understand that I am here to care for you and keep you safe," he said, exaggerating his displeasure with Vivienne.

"Not a good move, Viv," Gideon murmured, as he drew her closer to the door. "Don't leave your pixie girl. I'll take care of this," Gideon said, using an unimpressed tone as he spoke louder to Genesis. Then drew an indignant Vivienne from the room. "I thought you were supposed to be helping him, not eroding his authority over the girl," he hissed. "How is she supposed to bond to him if he is not the all-powerful figure Remy was? I guarantee you that no one ever told Remy what he could or could not feed her."

"She was terrified of that bread roll!" Vivienne hissed back.

"You don't think he knew that? Why do you think he tore such a little piece from it and fed it to her? He's not an idiot, and by interfering you just told her that you don't trust him to look after her properly. He specifically asked me to bring bread because that is always one of the first things to go from an athlete's diet when they are in training, and this girl has been in endurance training for months now. He was testing how far he could push her with this first meal, and you took that away from him because you obviously don't understand the type of relationship he has to build with her. You see the trauma and the damage from abuses in this type of relationship when they go wrong, but do you honestly understand the reality of the relationship itself?"

"Of course, I do! This is my area of expertise!" she said indignantly, exaggerating the truth.

"Then act like it. In that room Genesis is the king, and his word is law. You get no say in what he asks her to do, understand?" Gideon said in frustration. "Start acting like you actually want to help this girl instead of treating her like a case study for your next book."

"That's unfair!" Vivienne said.

"Is it?" He asked as he regained his calm demeanour and looked at her as if daring her to deny what she had just done. "Look, Gen thinks highly of you. It's just a shame you don't think as highly of him. Trust me though, he's committed to this, and I have no doubt that he can help her. We can discuss it properly over dinner. What time will I pick you up?" he said as if he hadn't just chewed her out for being a know-it-all bitch.

"You still want to have dinner with me?" she asked, startled by the question.

"Sure. You made a mistake; I corrected it. You'll think before criticising Gen's judgement in front of the pixie next time. So, dinner? Or would you rather not now?" giving her the option of going home to lick her wounds. He doubted that many people had the balls to tell her when she did something stupid.

"Dinner," she agreed. "I will dress up, and you will take me somewhere nice and..." She gave him a steady look. "We. Will. Discuss this further. I need to go and check on the Vitali leaders. Tell Genesis I will see him in the morning," and with that, she walked off.

"Um, Viv, I don't know where you're staying or what time you would like me to pick you up," he called after her.

"The DoubleTree by Hilton. Six," she called back without bothering to turn around. She kept walking, her back stiff with indignation, making him laugh.

"She is fascinating," he chuckled to himself and walked back into the hospital room to check on his brother and his latest impossible challenge. He hoped it was the curse this time because he had to stop taking on these strays and broken birds that he kept finding or he was going to go crazy himself. The doctor had obviously pissed his brother off, and he wondered if it was just about the bread or if something else had happened before he arrived. He'd find out all about the good doctor over dinner. He wondered if he could convince her to make a house call, he chuckled, making Genesis look up at him.

"She's fascinating," he said out loud. "She needs to be taught a little lesson in respect, but I don't see that being much of a hardship for either of us." He let out a genuine laugh.

"She took the scolding well, I take it?" Genesis asked.

"As she will the punishment tonight after dinner," he grinned. "I pointed out that your little pixie would understand who she needed to listen to and obey, so her suggestions as to her care were not necessary. You do understand that, don't you, pixie?" Gideon turned his dark-eyed gaze on Serena and held her eyes until she nodded silently.

"Gideon will help me keep you safe just as Kairos helped Remy," Genesis explained, putting his brother's words into perspective for her. "I have several brothers and cousins who act like brothers, and I trust them all implicitly. You will do the same and show them respect at all times," he instructed her in a stern voice. "That includes answering when they speak to you and ask you a question.

"I wasn't allowed to speak to Remy's friends and business partners," she said softly. "I don't know how. I am not like those other girls at Hermione's," she continued, her voice was barely above a whisper. "I was his. Only his."

"This is why you won't talk to the doctors properly?" Genesis demanded.

"When I hurt or am too tired my mind gets muddled, and I forget the rules. You won't tell him, will you?" she asked in a panic.

"But you talked to Kairos, and you had a job in a restaurant, I understand, where you regularly spoke to customers," he frowned at her, not understanding the distinction.

"My work and home were fine to use my voice, never beyond that and never for idle chatter about a girl who is gone. Olivia and her boat are gone, gone for good," she said sadly. "There is no point to the questions about her. I am not that girl. I can't be that awful girl any more. I am Serena Seabrook, and Remy loves me," she said proudly.

"I see," Genesis said coldly, anger and frustration in his eyes, not at the girl before him but at the man who did this to her. "Yet you talk to me now, so you know Remy will not wake up. He will not come for you, and I will not tell him of your misdeeds because he cannot hear me." He was brutal with the truth. When she stared at him blankly, he prompted her again. "You know that Remy will not come for you, that you belong to me now and that there will be new rules. Ones that suit me, not a dead man." It wasn't a question.

"Dead?" Serena gasped and her eyes filled with tears. "No, he is sleeping, and he won't wake up, but he is alive," she argued. "Kairos said that if I was good then you would take me to see him and that you would look after me because he can't give me what I need right now."

"What does that mean? What do you need that he can't give you?" Genesis frowned.

"He can't touch me, or take away the ache, the constant ache I have." Her eyes flicked to Gideon and then back to Genesis. "Is he invisible, like Kairos was at home?" she flicked her eyes to Gideon again.

"Yes, pretend he is not there," Genesis nodded. "Tell me about your ache."

"Remy understood. He knew what I needed. He would have made sure that I had time alone, even in here, to take the ache away, even if he couldn't do it himself. The doctors don't understand why I ache, but Remy knew, and he must have told you." She placed a hand low on her pelvis as she spoke.

Genesis tried not to show his surprise and frowned at his brother's snort as Gideon tried to hold in his laughter. Thinking quickly, he spoke in the same stern tone that he had been using with her since having to command her to eat whatever he provided.

"You have a serious injury to your side, and while no major organs were harmed, there is damage to the muscles around the wound. Touching yourself is completely forbidden until I have spoken with your doctors," he said, again seeing a hint of panic in her eyes. "Do you need help to follow that instruction?" he asked in a slightly gentler voice. "I do not want what belongs to me damaged any further," he reminded her."

She seemed to consider him, and her eyes flicked warily to Gideon again.

"Ignore him for now, as if he isn't there," Genesis instructed and gained her full attention.

"He works for you?" she asked.

"No." He let a small smile soften his features. "He is my brother. I told you this."

"Then he can't be invisible; that would be rude," Serena said, her eyes wide.

"Gideon, give us a few minutes," Genesis said, pressing his fingers to his temple as if he had a headache.

"I'll check on the possibility of taking her to see the body of Remington Royce," Gideon nodded and turned to the door.

"See if you can find Helena too. I want to ask about her wound and muscle damage" Genesis said and became thoughtful.

His talk with Kairos had been enlightening about a range of issues, including the side effects of her prolonged use of the experimental medication. Kairos seemed more than eager for the girl's bond with Remington Royce to be broken and have the girl out of reach of anyone who may try to assume Remington's place within the Suebi. True, he probably didn't realise that there would be no aid from the other Suebi alliances yet, and he possibly sought the top job himself and... and what? Would Serena be in his way? Had Remington given her some position of power by almost marrying her? Certainly, the Suebi did not have the gender bias that the Tables had, but Serena couldn't even speak to the medical staff to feed herself. It wasn't like she would be able to take over where Remington left off.

He considered the possibility as he sat quietly, looking at Serena who seemed unperturbed by his silence. She was desirable and, in her current state, highly prone to manipulation. Her relationship with Remington could make her a valuable bargaining chip should someone want to challenge Kairos for leadership. Kairos obviously had no desire for her at all. He pulled his phone from his pocket, planning to call his cousin Dominic to find out when the arrested men would be moved. He would like another opportunity to talk to Kairos, and possibly even the man called Jay. He paused and drew a breath. This was the first time that he had been completely alone with Serena, and he needed to talk to her not be on his phone again.

"Tell me about this ache," he said. "What causes it and how you ease it?"

"Only Remy can ease it," she said. "He knows what I need, how my body craves it."

"I see," Genesis said and stood up to lock the door. "You no longer belong to Remy; you belong to me now. It is now my responsibility to give you what you need and what your body craves. So, answer my question properly," he commanded, moving back toward the bed and standing over her, looking down intimidatingly. It was as if she wasn't connecting all the dots in her change of ownership, but she was talking to him now and that was more than he had yesterday or even this morning. Serena had gone quiet, and cursing himself, he realised that her compliance with the food had made him relax his speech and forget the keywords. Vivienne's interference had possibly further harmed that bond he had been building.

"I will keep you safe, sweet girl. It is me that will protect you and keep you safe and love you now. I will not let the bad men near you. You will stop questioning that you belong to me now, little one. Remy is gone, he will not be coming back for you." He reached down and stroked her cheek softly, moving his hand down to her neck and around to the back of her head. Gripping her hair in his fist, he yanked her head back and made her look at him and asked again, "Now, tell me about this ache, what causes it and how you ease it?"

"I need to touch, to umm... cum," she whimpered. "I want to touch myself. I'm not allowed, but I ache so bad," She was breathless with the small amount of pain he gave her just by gripping her hair. He could see her hands smooth over her thighs as if considering if the crime was worth the punishment.

"How long has it been since you were allowed to cum, little slut?" he asked, tightening his grip and noting her reaction. It was almost as if he could feel the tremor that ran through her at his use of the words he had heard Kairos use with her.

"The morning before I got married," she answered quickly.

"You are not married," he growled, twisting his hand in her hair to make his point. "And this," he placed his hand over her breast that held the ring she had so far refused to give up, "Will be removed tonight. You are mine now. You will wear what I deem appropriate. Remy is gone, little slut." He pressed his face closer to her and growled, "It is time to start making me happy!"

"Yes, Genesis," she whispered breathlessly.

Genesis held her like that for a few moments, wondering if he had imagined the slight hint of a smile that touched her lips before he bent his head and took those lips in a hard kiss, his hand not leaving her breast as he held her in place. He let her go abruptly and watched as she fell back onto her pillows, not taking her eyes from him. This was going to be difficult. She tugged at him in ways he had never experienced before. She was a fragile beauty on the surface but obviously had great willpower and strength for the things in this relationship that required it.

"I will talk with the doctors about your injuries and the effects of easing your ache on your healing. You will not touch yourself. If you are tempted, there are ways I can help you. You only have to ask, little one, because keeping you safe and healthy is my priority now," he instructed, his voice sounding hard as he tried to marshal his own aching groin at the thought of taking her and making her his physically as well as mentally. He took a deep cleansing breath and unlocked the door before using her buzzer to call a nurse.

"Are you in pain?" One of the nurses specially selected for this room because of their connections to the family asked as she came bustling in looking rushed and harried.

"She has an ache and could use a relaxant. Is that possible?" Genesis asked.

"Not without a doctor amending her chart. She has a mild sedative available to her at night to help with sleeping and pain medication available by pressing the button on her drip as she needs it," she answered with a brisk, professional tone after checking the chart at the end of the bed.

"I will speak with her doctors about it, thank you. For now, I need a sterile kit. I wish to remove the piercing so she can return the ring to the man who gave it to her before he leaves this world," he said in a commanding tone.

"I can remove it for you, sweetie," the nurse touched Serena's leg. and frowned when the girl flinched. "I was led to believe that she was doing better today and even ate something," she turned to Genesis for confirmation.

"She will allow me to touch her and feed her, so I will need that kit and a dressing. Find the doctor as well; I would like him to give her a proper examination while I am here, since she has been so unresponsive to the hospital staff," Genesis issued orders, letting the nurse know in no uncertain terms now who was in charge of Serena's care. "Also, if you see my brother Gideon send him in." He dismissed the woman, turning back to the bed and Serena, who looked at him with a strange expression. Genesis pulled his phone from his pocket again and growled, remembering the rules on the use of phones in public hospitals, before putting it away again.

*****

Serena watched Genesis, wondering why Remy would have given her to him. She knew he would wake up. He was the strongest man she knew, and he wouldn't leave her. He had promised to look after her for always. They were going to be married so that she would legally belong to him alone. He didn't want to share her in any way with anyone else, not even talking to others, and she had trusted him to know what was best, not only for her but for them and their love for each other. How could he leave her and expect her to love, honour and obey a total stranger? Yet Kairos had told her it was true. Kairos would know. He knew all of Remy's secrets. Kairos said Remy wouldn't wake up ever again. She couldn't believe it though. He was stronger than they all realised and he would wake up. She knew he would.

Genesis was handsome in a different way to Remy. Remy was fair-haired and blue-eyed, his skin pale and soft. This man was the polar opposite with dark hair and eyes. His tanned olive complexion made it seem somehow as if he radiated heat and warmth as he touched and spoke to her, rather than the ice-cold hardness and strength of Remy.

It wouldn't be hard to let Genesis take care of her body and its cravings, she admitted. God, she ached so badly. Maybe if she begged he would let her touch herself. It would better than nothing, and she was sure that his punishments could not be as harsh as Remy's had been. She had learned to enjoy them, it was true, for the painful pleasure they eventually brought her, but there were times when she wasn't sure that she could take all the punishment he gave her. Invariably he spoiled her after he pushed her that hard, but it would take days to recover, during which her body ached for him painfully, making her suffer all the more.