Prince of Cats (8 page)

Perfect teeth dented Neomee’s lower lip for a fraction of a second before she offered tremulously, “Please do not apologize to me Master.  Whatever punishment you see fit
shall be mine to endure.”  She jumped when Bray roared.

Two thickly corded arms braced on either side of her, pinning her against the wall.
  The scent of her fear spiked but Bray couldn’t control his
reaction.  He wanted her to look at him,
talk to him…
smile
at him.  Instead she cowered submissively.  He’d remembered the challenging glint
that typically burned in her eyes
and he wanted to see it again.
  “Do not play submissive with me
.  I know you better than that
.”

***

Neomee couldn’t take it anymore.  Everyone demanded she be more slave-like and now that she was finally playing the role it was obvious that Bray was displeased with the display. 

Perfectly manicured brows knitted over her thin nose
as steady eyes leveled on his
.  “
My submission is required.  I am a slave.”  She’d foregone the use of the word ‘Master’ since every time she’d u
sed the term with him he’d
clearly
been
displeased.

What does he expect me to do?  Perhaps this is a trick to get me to slip up so that he may punish me. 
The thought had her second guessing her tone.  She forced her head down, “You sought me out.  Is there something I can do for you?”

“There is a lot you can do for me,” Bray murmured
not even attempting to veil the innuendo.

Looking up, Neomee studied him for long seconds before she lifted trembling fingers to the strap of her gown.  She slid one strap off her shoulder and was reaching for the other when shock registered in Bray’s expression.

“What are you doing?” he growled.

Neomee’s hand froze in place.  “
Giving you what you seek.”

Bray stepped closer forcing her back against the wall until she was crushed between his massive frame and the stone at her back.  “And who else have you given this particular gift to?”

Her cheeks flamed in indignation.  “No one!”  Her tone was too harsh, but she couldn’t he
lp being offended by the insult. “I have lain with no other man since I’ve been assigned here.”

“And before you were assigned here?” 

Aq
ua blue eyes slid down to study his chest.  “No.  None in my prior service either.”  She knew her entire body flushed with the admission.  She silently prayed that he’d leave it at that.

Instead,
he stepped
closer;
his groin pressed against her belly as he gently grabbed her chin and lifted her face until her eyes peered up at his. 

“
You have never experienced a man
’s touch?”

How humiliating!
  She tried to jerk her chin out of his grasp but he held her firmly.
  Her cheeks actually stung with embarrassment over the topic.  “Of course I have Master.”  Since he refused to let her go she focused her gaze over his shoulder.  “Men hit me all the time.”

Her admission evoked contradictory emotions in Bray.  While he was relieved to discover
that
her virtue
might still be
intact
, he was simultaneously enraged at the fact the only touch she’d ever received from a male
was
that of pain rather than pleasure.

She stopped breathing when he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. 

“Never again my
sweet lily.”  Then just as quickly as he’d
approached her, he turned and sta
lked away.

Chapter
8

The day of the Honoring of Osiris Festival
had finally arrived
.
No one
knew what Bray had done to the
Slave Master
but the day the
Slave Master
attempted to drag Neomee to the Priest was the last time he’d been seen. 

The Priest had the
Slave Master
replaced quickly enough and the new
Slave Master
was just as ruthless as his predecessor. 
Luckily, this
Slave Master
knew little of Neomee and ha
d no cause to think she were
different than any of the other slaves, which is exactly how she wanted it. 

She did assume however that
Bray
had
spoken to the new
Slave Master
for she was p
ermanently removed from her station at the dining hall and p
laced on the garden station. 
Her new assignment saw her working alongside
the slave women who tended the temple’s
numerous
garden
plots
and harves
ted the crops there for the Cat
s
—and slaves—consumption.
  It was a
slave’s most desired station, as the fresh a
ir was as plentiful as
the food, and practicall
y no interaction with the Cats
or the
Slave Master
was required. 

The garden was centered in the middle of the temple square and was surrounded by towering walls, which served to keep critters and thieves out while keeping the slaves in.  Regardless, while the slaves tended the garden
,
Cats were always posted on the wall to ensure no escape attempts
or intrusions
were made. 

Usually the Cats on guard ended up dozing in the noon day sun or sneaking off with a willing slave for more adult enjoyments.  Luckily, none of the Cats propositioned Neomee
.  She couldn’t help but wonder if the incident and Bray’s reaction in the dining hall had anything to do with it. 

One day she was approached by one of the handsome Cats as she weeded the garden.  She stood at his approach and he smiled at her as h
e made to grab her arm.  His hand
was swiftly
grabbed by a fellow Cat that appeared from behind Neomee. 
The fellow Cat whispered in the smiling Cat’s ear and the handsome Cat’s smile faded as
he
turned and walked away from Neomee without so much as backward glance. 
She hadn’t been offended.
  Her goal was to blend in the best she could until
the Honoring of Osiris
festivities when she would make her great escape. 

She’d b
een squirreling away fruits,
vegetables
, and nuts
for
week
s.  Most slaves that attempted escape died from dehydration
half way across the desert
or were caught as they attempted to steal food from the local merchants.  Neomee knew that if she
had plenty of food and water the
n her chances of escaping the village
and surviving her trek to the next
village
were exponential.
 

She hadn’t slept the night before and woke with a sour
stomach.  Her nerves were
fraught
with
tension as she thought of her escape. 

Amon, please let all go as planned. 

Lost in her thoughts, Neomee
sat back on her heels and looked up from her tilling, dropping her stone spade
to wipe the sweat from
her brow.  Her eyes locked on Bray. 

He was standing on the garden wall watching her.  Over the past few days she’d often caught him there, staring down at her intently. 

Neomee quickly dropped her head and got back to work
.  The last thing she needed
today was to get caught up in some foray with the Prince of Cats.  She could feel his eyes upon her as she worked.
  She
prayed that her change of attitude from defiant slave to an obedient
one
had gone
unnoticed. 

If he has noticed, w
ith any luck
,
he’ll think it is his fault.  He’ll think that he broke me
that day in the slave’s quarters
.  Just as well, it must have been his goal.  Now he has no reason to torment me.
 

Neomee was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of rapid
ly approaching
footsteps.  Sticking to her role as a “good slave”,
she
forced herself to keep her eyes on the ground. 

She
was grabbed by her arms and hauled up from her work as Bray angrily bit out
, “
What is happening?”

“Master, I know not of what you speak.”
Neomee fought to keep her eyes down.

“Don’t lie to me,
lily
,
”
Bray barked, “I can smell it, sense it, I can see it.  You look like you haven’t slept in days.  Something’s wrong and I demand to know what it is.”

Neomee
refused to raise her eyes
, “Master, I have had a change of heart
is all
.  I am trying my best to perform my duties
obediently
.
  It has taken some adjustment.  Please forgive me if I have upset you
in any manner
.”

Bray leaned down as he pulled her to him and growled in her ear, “I don’t buy it for a second.  You reek of fear and it’s not of me or
of
the
new
Slave Master
.  You’re up to something.” 

Bray
growled deeply
as Neomee shook her head withou
t looking up.
 
“Look at me damn it!”

Neomee looked up.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but I am watching you.”

No, no, no, this can
no
t be happening.  Not today!
 
“Master please,” Neomee pleaded, “What can I do to convince you that I have learned my place?  Name it and it shall be done.
”

Bray put his lips to her ear and whispered, “Yes, it shall!”  He released her abruptly and walked away.

Amon, what does that mean?  Why?  Why today?  I’ve got to fix this!

“Master!”  Neomee yelled at Bray’s r
etreating back.  She
heard
audible gasp
s
from the other slaves in the garden.  So much for playing the part of the “good slave.”
 

With her eyes down, Neomee quickly approached Bray who had turned at her call.
 
“Master, please!  I assure you I have done nothing wrong.
” 
Come on Neomee, play the part. 
Conjuring up tears,
she
continued, “Master I cannot have more attention brou
ght to me.  The new
Slave Master
does not hate me as the last one did, and…”
she
lowered her voice to a whisper, “the other slaves are becoming more accepting.  Please whatever I have done.  Forg
i
ve me.”

Bray grabbed her chin and forced her eyes up, “Still willing to convince me that you’ve learned your place?
”

The trembling of
her frame was matched by her tone, “
Y-yes
Master.”

Bray chuckled
humorlessly
, “Tonight then.”

“Tonight what?”

“Tonight we
shall be bound.”

“Master…bound?”  Neomee shook her head in confusion.

“To each other.”

“I’m sorry Master
,
I still do not understand.  What does it…”

Bray cut her off, “You’ll find out tonight.” 

Neomee’s heart thudded to a halt. 
Tonight?

Then Bray leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Now, I am convinced you are up to something.  Your heart has accelerated, your blood is rushing through your veins, and I can
smell…” He sniffed her throat, “
…
I can smell
deceit
barely covered by
the scent of
your fear
.
”  Bray pulled back to look her in the eye, “Never lie to a Cat.”

Neomee stood motionless and terrified as Bray exited the garden. 

He knows! 

With her thoughts preoccupied, Neomee
woodenly
finished her shift in the garden
before she
hurried
back to the slave quarters.
  Her poor body nearly sang with unreleased tension.  She’d never been more exhausted
or
terrified
in her life. 
Bound
?  If only I knew what it meant.
  Whatever it is it can’t be good.