Harnessing Fire Ch. 04

Her eyes went wide. Other slaves? She was not the only one? She didn't know why, but in that moment, a flare of jealousy came over her. Her chin dropped and her breath was held while she nursed that feeling along.

"What are you feeling, pet?"

Shoot, he noticed. She thought and then wondered where the jealousy was coming from. She took too long to answer and Vagrent's hand was quick to react and grasped her nipple then clamped down on it again. She groaned in pain and her body curved up to try and alleviate the pain.

"You will answer me immediately, pet. The longer I let you think, the more likely you are to lie to me. Now," He kept the pressure even and gradually turned his fingers so that her nipple was being twisted slowly. Her jaw dropped to draw in heavy breaths, "tell me what you are feeling."

"I-I feel jealous, Master!" She gasped.

"Really?" Vagrent sounded amused and let go of her nipple swiftly. She could feel the blood return to the area and it bit with pain.

"Tell me why you feel jealous, pet." He leaned back and set his hands on his lap, expecting her answer would be quick.

Tania started to hesitate, but then she could feel her nipple throb painfully and didn't make him wait.

"You mentioned other slaves, Master."

"Yes, I have other slaves, Tania," she found comfort when he said her name and a temporary relief from her feelings, "they all have their purpose in my life, and your purpose will hopefully be earned quickly."

"What place would I have, Master?" She asked, afraid of the answer.

"In the interest of keeping you obedient for now, I am not going to tell you. You will ultimately decide where your place is in my life, just like all the rest of my pets. I have hope that where you end up is where I hope you will be with time, discipline, and patience. As Galea learned, I have plenty of patience."

She drew in a deep breath, disappointed that she didn't have the answer she was seeking. Vagrent watched her carefully and smiled when it was plain to him that she was wearing her emotions so openly.

"You have such an honest body, pet. I like that."

Tania proved his observation true as she wore a suddenly heavy blush over every inch of her skin in response to his comment. How she wished she could hide such a thing and be off her knees and back at home where she knew the comfort of a warm bed and freedom. She sighed heavily to calm herself, then lowered her chin to look at the floor. She could feel his eyes watching her as she reserved her emotions for now.

"Don't try to hide from me, pet. Your very existence now is to please me, and it pleases me that you are honest in body."

Her eyes rolled up and locked on him with an anger that now tensed through her body. She absolutely wanted to not be anyone's pet.

"Ooh, now there's a look," Vagrent grinned and was amused by her anger and took a moment to draw a thin stick made of bamboo from a shelf above him. He held it passively across his lap for now and looked back to her, "why are you so angry with me, little one?"

"Because I don't want to be a slave, Master."

Vagrent's fingertips twitched, but she had not forgotten herself and had answered him honestly.

"I am aware of how you feel, pet, but the sooner you let go of those feelings the easier this will all be for you," he explained calmly, "this is your life and this is your place now."

"No." She said with a growl in her throat.

She heard the sudden snap of that bamboo stick and only half a second later the pain sear across her chest with perfect aim that the sting ran through both of her nipples. Oh, she had seen him take hold of that bamboo stick and did not make the connection that he would use it on her. As her breathing calmed, her teary eyes opened to look toward him. The bamboo was still in his hand, but resting passively across his lap.

"No, what?" He whispered.

"No, Master." She whimpered.

"Very good. That's my good little pet. Never forget your place no matter how angry or emotional you are or I will punish you. I will be here to work through your emotions with you. You don't like what is happening to you because it's new. You want to go back to the way things were because you are familiar with the life you had. You don't know anything about your new life and that frightens you. New things are always frightening, pet, and I think it's unfair that you're not wanting to at least try this new life to see how well you adapt to it."

Tania frowned and dropped her chin to look upon the floor. She was terrified of the changes happening to her life, and wanted to go back to living with the nuns. Although, she couldn't forget the lack of real human contact she had in that life. Since her capture, she had met new people, but many of them cold and cruel as the nuns had told her. The sin which they openly committed was appealing to Tania in the sense that she had never known such acts before. She could not lie to herself and say that she didn't enjoy what pleasure Vagrent had given to her. Was there more to come? Would it all be training and punishment?

"You may ask me questions, pet. Though, remember your place when you do."

"I don't know what to ask, Master."

"Perhaps it is because you are tired. If you can tell me what your purpose is, I will free your arms from the key in the ceiling and let you sleep the rest of the way."

A beautiful red mark had caught Vagrent's attention to her chest. It was a thin, sunburned streak across her breasts, both of which were erect and covered in goosebumps from their sensitivity. He stared while waiting her answer. Tania's mind scrambled past the pain on the other side of that beautiful mark and tried to recall everything that Vagrent had told her. Then, she came to the answer.

"To please you, Master."

"Very good, pet." He set the bamboo aside and reached up with his hands to the key in the ceiling. The chains were loosened and she was drawn up and off her knees. If she had not seen his transformation for herself, she would have tried to escape at this time. How do you run from a dragon? How do you outsmart a dragon? Vagrent pulled her gently to his seat and moved her so that she rested across his lap. He kept a strong hold of her chains to keep her hands in place and lied her against his body. He smelled lightly of incense and saffron. It was an unusual smell, but one that she enjoyed when she rested her head against his shoulder.

"When you are rewarded, always show your appreciation, pet."

Tania lifted her head up from his shoulder and kissed his cheek. Vagrent tensed, not expecting such a gesture from a newly found pet. All of his pets had remembered that they must be verbal and would say thank you. Still, he didn't find any error to her gratitude and let it be for now.

With the gentle rocking motion of the cart, it wasn't very long before Tania was sound asleep in Master's arms.