At His Throat, a Promise (40 page)

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AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

William had also given him the portable cassette player and tapes. “Pack clothing around them,” he"d said, closing Ellis"s hand around them. “He might not let you keep them.” Deciding it wasn"t worth the risk of getting into trouble, Ellis had left the Walkman and tapes in his bedside table drawer. He felt sick doing it—it was the only gift he"d really ever been given by someone other than his parents—but he was taking his mission of becoming a better slave very seriously.

The cock cage and cock ring, though, he"d kept. They were small enough to be hidden inside the luggage. And the cock cage was
his
, anyway. One of his old master"s slaves had given it to him upon the end of his servitude, asking only that Ellis pass it along when he was free.

His new master drove an expensive-looking silver car with a black interior. Or rather, someone drove it for him; the master himself had come from the backseat. Now Jude was waiting—not altogether patiently, either—for Harte to let go of Ellis so they could leave for his new life.

Harte wasn"t saying anything, just holding on so tightly they were almost one person.

Finally, William had to step in. “Harte, come on.” Harte shook his head and clutched tighter. In all honesty, Ellis thought his attachment was a little silly. Ellis had only been with them for about three months. That didn"t seem like enough to have formed such a bond.

That’s not what your own heart is telling you.

Ignoring that niggling voice—it had become increasingly vocal after Ellis had told William he"d made up his mind—Ellis disentangled himself from Harte, who tried to pull Ellis down for a kiss.

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A firm hand yanked Ellis back.

“Ah, ah,” Jude said, staring disapprovingly at Harte. “Control your slave, William, if you would.”

William looked furious, but his voice was cold. “Surely you"ll allow them a proper good-bye.”

“They"ve had more than enough time for this… romantic nonsense.”

Harte almost protested, but William just pulled him against his chest. Ellis knew that it was his fault they hadn"t been able to share a good-bye; he"d kept his door shut and barricaded all night.

William had finally entered through the closet doors that connected Ellis"s room to Gabriel"s old one. William had seemed disappointed in Ellis, though he couldn"t figure out why. Surely he didn"t want Ellis to choose Jack Archer, or even Patterson, the lecherous old man? Did he not want Ellis to become a better slave?

Did he think him
hopeless
?

Ellis didn"t. He was sure he could learn to be better.

“You won"t deny me my good-bye, Jude,” William said, looking tall and forbidding as he glared at the smaller master.

Rolling his eyes and waving his hand, Jude watched on as William let go of Harte and drew Ellis into a rather stiff embrace.

“You"ve changed us,” he whispered. Ellis listened closely but kept his own heart hidden away. “And now you"ve changed. Don"t let him ruin you, Ellis. Bend, but don"t break. You"re beautiful, all right? And good. You"re a good boy. Don"t forget. Don"t ever forget.”

Then he pushed Ellis into Jude"s waiting arms. Harte was sobbing openly, not even trying to hide his face behind his hands.

Ellis saw Jude"s face twist in disgust at this and made a mental note to never be so emotional.

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“Will you let him call us?” William asked.

Jude smiled. His teeth were sharp and very white. “Certainly. If he asks.”

That was the moment Ellis knew Jude had his number. He knew Ellis would never ask for such a favour. It wasn"t his place to keep in touch with former masters, especially when said master was only a sponsor. Ellis knew he wouldn"t take the privilege even if Jude offered it. Severing the connection completely was the only way to save himself.

Maybe in three years when he was free, he would come back for a visit. Or maybe when Harte was free, they could go for drinks.

Maybe.

“Good-bye,” Ellis said softly, no more than a breath.

Harte choked on another sob and wouldn"t look at him.

William just nodded, staring at him with inscrutable eyes.

Jude opened the back door of his car for Ellis, who got in and slid over. Jude sat beside him and told the driver to go.

Ellis watched the trees skitter by as they made their way toward the city and away from the blanketing comfort of nature. He didn"t look back. There was no
back
.

“Now,” Jude said. “I have the utmost confidence in your abilities as a slave. Even if William was lax, which I believe he was, I knew your previous master from the Circle, and he knew how to handle his slaves. I do not expect it to take long for me to…

rid you of your bad habits.”

Ellis nodded, trying to look grateful.

“There are three main gestures I want you to learn. They are not complicated, and you are not stupid, so do not disappoint me.

This”—Jude crooked two fingers in a
come here
motion—“means 347

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

tend to me. Remember that phrase?”

He nodded.

Jude held up four fingers, slightly spaced. “That means get on your hands and knees. You are always to remove your tunic when I make this gesture. If the ground is not a viable option, you will lean over the nearest flat surface and spread your legs.” Thinking about the pain of being taking without preparation and adding it to the fact that Jude obviously wanted him to be ready at any time, Ellis vowed to prepare himself regularly so he wouldn"t get hurt. He nodded his understanding.

Now holding up two fingers, spread, Jude said, “This means
present yourself
. You"ll lean over, rest your hands on your knees, thighs spread wide. You might do this for me, but you will also assume this position for anyone who asks it of you. I know I need not tell you that you are available to anyone I wish. That includes anyone in my house except for my other slaves and the servants.

And my friends need not ask me first. Those who have permission to use my slaves know it.”

Before Ellis could nod, Jude held up two fingers in the last gesture. He hesitated, uncertain if Jude wanted him to repeat back the rule or if he was just making sure Ellis saw it.

“Come now, I just said you were not stupid. Do not make a liar of me.”

In the crowded backseat, Ellis twisted and swung a leg over Jude, facing the front. He held onto the passenger"s seat in front of him to stabilise himself, blushing furiously when the driver looked over. He arched his back a little so that he was completely exposed.

“Very good,” Jude said quietly in what Ellis was beginning to realise was his
praise voice
. A finger ran over his entrance and 348

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

dipped inside, forcing its way within and making Ellis shudder before he could stop himself.

“No need for that. Just relax.”

Jude"s finger very lightly brushed against his prostate, and Ellis clutched the headrest more tightly. Then he touched it again and again until it was almost unbearable, and Ellis was twitching and jerking and biting his lip to keep in the sounds that threatened to escape. Jude started massaging the gland, and Ellis clenched his eyes shut when he felt his cock drip with pre-come. He didn"t know what he was supposed to do; Jude seemed to be trying for a reaction, but he didn"t
like
it when Ellis reacted.

His cock was throbbing and he was rocking back into the fingers, wanting more, wanting to be filled, to be fucked.

Unable to contain himself, he let out a low moan when Jude pressed particularly hard. The master promptly pulled his finger out and wiped it on Ellis"s sheath.

“Sit.”

Ellis sprawled without grace onto the seat beside Jude, his hole sore and prick desperate.

“You did very well, Ellis, but I do expect you to be silent.

Noise is for bad slaves; noise suggests that you have a say, that you have a right to demand more. That is not so. You will learn.” There was nothing for him to do except nod and look out the window. The ache in his behind diminished his erection quickly enough.

Jude explained various rules for the rest of the car ride. Ellis listened intently, though after a while he noticed a theme.

Don’t.

Almost every instruction was preceded by the words
do not
, so Ellis figured if he just did nothing except what he was told and 349

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

what his body demanded, he would be fine.

Jude had three other slaves. Two girls and a boy. A part of Ellis was looking forward to meeting them, but he knew he"d never find another Harte. With his previous master, he"d barely spoken to the other slaves—they all preferred privacy, and each struggled for a position as favoured. There was no real point in trying to make friends when everyone"s main priority was making their own life easier.

Jude also had a number of servants. The slaves and the servants were not to speak to each other.

He maintained a strict learning schedule. One hour of lecture and fifteen minutes of personal time every day. Two hours of lecture and thirty minutes one-on-one on Saturday. Sundays were free and Jude wouldn"t be there.

Ellis was not to leave the house. Ellis was not to eat any unhealthy food unless Jude gave it to him. Ellis was to shower every evening. Ellis was to study in his free time. He was not to be idle, rude, careless, messy, or greedy. He was not to try to seduce Jude or attempt to wheedle gifts or special treatment of him.

If Ellis could just remember and obey these rules, Jude was sure they would get along fine.

They finally pulled up to a large house, somewhere between William"s and the Cohens" on the ostentation scale. It was more modern with floor-to-ceiling windows instead of exterior walls.

Curtains covered many of them, but most were open for anyone to see in—if they made it past the front gates, that was.

Looking inside, Ellis squinted and saw people seated at a round dining room table. They wore slave white and looked up when the car pulled up to the house.

Ellis climbed out after Jude, watching the three slaves walk to 350

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

the front door and kneel. It was strange, being able to see inside like this. Like he was seeing something private—it was almost voyeuristic.

Someone dressed in black opened the door for the master, and Ellis assumed it was a servant. Following the master in, Ellis stood nervously and waited as one of the female slaves took Jude"s coat, and the other helped with his boots. The male slave remained kneeling, though he cast a speculative glance at Ellis, an eyebrow raised.

The two female slaves were quite pretty. Both were slender and a little shorter than Ellis. One had pretty strawberry blonde hair, and the other"s was long and dark brown. They had similar features: fair, pale, and fragile-looking. The boy was the same, though he was more muscular than Ellis. He was the type who looked as though, in his preadolescence, he would have been very feminine. Then he"d grown out of it and now looked almost cruel in his beauty. He had dark blond hair and shadowy, expressive eyes, and there was a stiff insolence in his posture that Ellis was surprised the master endured.

When Jude told the boy to stand for introductions, however, the insouciance melted away, leaving him the very picture of submission.

“Ellis, this is Michaela and Maya,” Jude said, gesturing to the fair-haired girl and brunette, respectively. “And this is Fen.” The boy, Fen, nodded curtly, and the girls both gave a little curtsy.

“This is the time we usually have lessons. I assume that is what you were doing before we arrived?”

Fen inclined his head, and the master smiled approvingly.

“Very good. Michaela, Fen, we will continue. Maya, as your essay 351

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

was the best, you will take the evening off to show Ellis around.

When you are finished, you may either return to the lesson or use the time for your leisure.”

The master walked off, followed by Fen and Michaela.

“Come with me,” Maya said, her long hair swirling as she turned in the direction opposite of where the master and slaves had gone.

Maya didn"t speak as she showed him to a rather Spartan bedroom. There were two single beds inside, both clothed in simple blue sheets, tucked very tightly. The walls were bare except for a curtain covering the entire width of one, and Ellis assumed there was a window beneath it. In the bathroom, there was a razor and shaving cream on the sink, so he assumed he was sharing with Fen. Both rooms were very neat and organised, quite unlike the disaster that was Harte"s room, though he had made an effort to clean it from time to time.

“I have to go through your bag,” Maya said without a hint of apology.

Ellis wordlessly handed it over, wondering if he"d ever hear the sound of his own voice again.

Maya dumped the contents on what he assumed was to be his bed, exploring them with single-minded precision. His heart fell when she found his cock cage and ring inside the lining.

“Master will not be pleased you tried to smuggle these things in,” she said with a mirthless smile.

“Those are mine,” Ellis said. “Master didn"t say I couldn"t have them.”

It felt wrong to call Jude “Master” aloud. In his head, he had begun to think of that as William"s title, and internally, Jude was just Jude. He knew he"d have to get used to it.

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“Doesn"t matter,” she said.

Ellis knew that was probably true. Jude did have a
lot
of rules.

Not bringing his own things to his new home was probably one of them. He thought about asking Maya to keep it to herself, but there was a glint in her eye that told him there wasn"t a chance of that happening.

Still holding his silver toys, Maya clinked them together as she showed him the rest of the house, which consisted mostly of doors he wasn"t supposed to open and things he wasn"t allowed to touch.