Page 89 of Bought to Break
‘Done. I’ll need her power soon.’ He looked her up and down as she knelt in her small prison. ‘She looks strong enough. You have my permission to breed her to get her with child.’ Finally, he looked at the priest standing next to him. ‘Take care of my investment or I’ll have your head, Dugal.’ He turned to leave. ‘And collar her, or my gladiators and my soldiers will be fucking useless to me,’ he called over his shoulder.
The gladiator from yestereve opened the door to the cage, reached in and grabbed her more gently than he had before. She didn’t fight him, her mind reeling from what had been said. Somehow, they were going to break the bond she shared with Sorin, Viktor and Kane and insert the priest into their place. She had to work quickly.
They brought her to the main building, the gladiator carrying her over his shoulder while the priest shuffled along behind, all of his attention on her. They brought her to a well-furnished bedchamber; one without windows. The rugs were thick underfoot and the counterpane on the bed looked new; a nicely dressed-up prison cell. The fire in the hearth crackled merrily as the gladiator placed her gently on the bed. She leapt off immediately and scrambled to the corner, trying not to behave like a caged beast but feeling very much like one. The big man bowed to her, actually bowed, and left the room, walking backwards as if she were royalty until the door closed. The priest poured her some water and offered it to her.
‘What’s your name?’
When she didn’t answer, he continued. ‘I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t want them to do that. I’ll have some food brought.’
She took the cup from him gingerly. ‘It’s Lana.’
He looked pleased. ‘Lana. Beautiful. Perfect. Just like you.’
Feeling uncomfortable under his unwavering stare, she muttered a thank you and drank thirstily.
‘I’m Dugal. I was once a priest. That’s why Vineri hired me. I advise him on matters of the gods. He’s been searching for a real witch for a long time, you know.’
‘What will happen to me?’ she asked in a small voice, hoping he would see her as just a frightened girl and underestimate her.
‘Well.’ He rang the bell pull and sat himself down by the fire, facing in her direction. ‘I’m to be your connection to this life. I will look after you.’
She approached him. ‘But I’m already bound.’
An eyebrow quirked. ‘Not for long. He will cut the link you have with the other and bind you to me instead.’
‘But what if I don’t want that?’
He regarded her in silence for a moment.
‘I’m sorry, Lana,’ he said finally, ‘but you belong to the Collector now. You are his, and he has chosen me to guide you.’ He leant forward in earnest. ‘You don’t understand, I’m sure, but you will die without him. You need to be loved and you must feel content because of your link to the gods. I can help if you’ll let me, my dear.’
His face was a handsome one, but she disliked the vehemence she saw in it as well as his condescending explanations of her nature. His endearment turned her stomach. It wasn’t her he wanted; not a friend or a real bond. It was power. Guide her, indeed! Be her lord and master, more like. He was no different from the Collector or any other slaveholder. In fact, he was worse because he was able to excuse himself from his cruel actions under the guise of piety.
How different Kane, Sorin and Viktor were from men like him. Her da, her stepfather, Ather – all of them had only seen her value through what she could give them, all the while ensuring she felt worthless. The Brothers weren’t like them at all. They had done more for her over a few weeks than anyone had in her entire life. She would repay them however she could, though she knew they would demand nothing she wasn’t more than willing to give.
‘But I don’t even know you,’ she said, hoping her face had not given away that she did not actually wish to.
‘You will. The artefact in the Collector’s possession will help you to feel content by binding you to me and shaping your feelings. And, once it’s done its work, I vow to you I will dedicate my every moment to you.’
Lana’s brow furrowed as a dreadful suspicion took form. ‘So it will make me care for you?’
‘No, no, no. You don’t understand, my love. Its purpose is to make you feel perfectly content by feeling the adoration you need. You’ll thank me.’
She felt sick as she regarded Dugal. They were going to take her will from her – doing something far worse to her than even Ather ever had – as if it were a gift she should be grateful for. And there was something else Vineri had mentioned. ‘The Collector said you were allowed to … breed me. What does that mean?’ She was afraid she already knew exactly what they intended, but she hoped she was wrong.
‘Well.’ His face reddened slightly. ‘It is hoped that you would get with child to produce another witch. But that will come later,’ he added hastily. ‘You need not worry about that now. When it’s time, we will be devoted to each other, and I won’t let the others mistreat you.’
‘Others?’ she asked.
‘Well, yes. If you’re to be bred, then there will be a few who will give you their seed so that there’s a better chance … Vineri will decide who, but I’d assume you’ll be a reward for the gladiators when they win in the arena.’
Lana’s mouth fell open. ‘You mean to say that you plan to take my free will and then let my body be given as a prize to rape in the hopes that I produce a babe?’
He looked chagrined. ‘You will want for nothing, Lana. It’s better than dying out there.’ He stood abruptly and bowed his head. ‘Everything I do is for you and the gods. I will leave you now. Food will be brought shortly.’
He put a hand on her shoulder. She tried to shake him off, but his fingers gripped her tightly, just shy of actually hurting. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said as something snapped closed around her neck.
She pushed him away, scratching at the contraption, but it wouldn’t come off.
