ꃴꀤꉓꀤꂦꀎꌗ ꌃꀤ꓄ꍟ, ꀭꍏꀸꍟꀸ ꃅꍟꍏꋪ꓄ (ꌗ꓄ꍏꀤꈤꍟ ꊼ ꌃꀎꈤꈤꌩ)

[Bunny]

Bare feet padded along the wire bottom of the cage, the cold metal biting into her feet uncomfortably. Riley wasn’t one to mind, nothing in her life had ever held comfort why would this damned cage? Darkness surrounded her, thick and inky as the cage swayed. She was in a truck, being transferred. No longer his problem. That had been how that bastardized had referred to her. Growling softly at the thought, Riley’s ears plastered low to her strawberry locks. Fear and anger. Those emotions were no stranger to her. They were her waking and dreaming life… When you know nothing but pain, crudity and abuse, it isn’t really a surprise. Riley was a subhuman, the fate of her birth and the curse of her life. Her father had been human, she knew that much, her mother had been like her though and while good enough to fuck, not good enough to keep around when she became pregnant. She’d been sold and Riley had been born into what amounted to slavery. Shaking her head, the thick curls swayed against her skin and she fought back a snarl of annoyance. The memories were never welcome, not was the fact that she was to repeat her mother’s life. A toy for some rich human… bastard… till he tired of her. It was the fate of most subhumans… If they were not in the slums. Not that the slums were better. Or so she had heard. Who knew the truth of it though. Were they lies fed to her to keep her from escaping? In truth it mattered not. The world was shit for subhumans. Caged or free, they were a step above fleas…

The engine died and Riley dropped into a crouch, her tail curled under her, her ears still flat to her hair. The beautiful blue grey of her eyes narrowed as her lips pulled back from her teeth. Even as the door opened and sunlight blinded her she growled, low, feral. She’d already bitten the guard once, the traces of his blood were still on her pale chin. Angry eyes met her and he muttered something about how she was a lucky bitch… Likely because he couldn’t damage the merchandise. He’d been stupid and he’d likely have a scar to remember her by. That thought gave her deep pleasure as she watched him extend the slip leash. Another low growl rumbled from her throat, a sweet promise of violence. “Fuck this..” Came the annoyed response and Riley had no chance to avoid the dark that was fired, not in the tight confines of the cage. She felt the needle pierce her skin and snarled, pulling it out roughly. It hurt like a bitch even as she dropped it to the metal floor. Warm blood trickled down her arm and she threw herself at the cage door, pain fighting off the pull of the drug in her system. Darkness claimed her moments later, her small, delicate body crumpling into a tangle of limbs.

—-

The bright side was tranquilizers provided a dreamless sleep. The downside was that you woke up with a bitch of a headache and a god awful taste in your mouth. At least that was true for Riley. She was quite familiar with tranquilizers.. Her winning personality and all. Groaning she shifted and frowned. The surface was soft, plush.. Pushing herself to sit up she fought to keep down the bile that rose as her world swam for a moment. Dressed in the same, simple rumpled dress she’d been wearing.. the rough collar that had chafed the slender column of her neck gone. Gone? A hand rose and found her neck unadorned for the first time… ever. A thrill slipped up her spine even as she lifted her nose, sniffing. There was a scent in the room, deeply masculine and unknown to Riley. Something spicy and pine tinted mingled with something almost floral with a deep underlaying note of clove. It was pleasant, not that smelling nice didn’t mean the owner wasn’t a bastard. All humans were after all..

There was the faint sound of music, Riley realized suddenly. Had it been there since she woke? After a moment she nodded to herself. It had. Was that.. rock music? Blinking around at the soft, richness around her, it felt at odds. The room was indeed fine. It too now under Riley’s scrutiny. Pale pink walls, dark wood and creams in the accents. The bed among them.. The quilt she’d been playing on a deep almost mauve. Riley wrinkled her nose. She detested pink.. Slipping from the bed, her bare feet found a thick rug, her toes curling in it as she laid a hand on the poster near her, the wood cool under her hand.

It was foolish to leave her unsupervised.

Looking to the doorway, then to the huge window. Sure.. she was at least on the second floor.. based on what she could see from where she stood.. But she wasn’t human. Though if she ran, where would she go, the slums.

Rape or rape.. damn hard choice.

At least one would be her own choice in a way…

Guess she was going to run.

 

[Staine]

Tobias had his feet up, laptop resting on his thighs as he finished his work. His parents, wanting to give him a sense of responsibility had given him one of their smaller companies a few years ago, one that they hadn't been making much profit from, along with his inheritance. He'd been expected to keep it afloat to prove himself, it was why he'd been sent to the very best business school and learned how to manage finances and people, but he hadn't been expected to do what he had done. He'd expanded...hired more workers out of his own pocket, funding it for a year and changing the direction of the company from the hardware it was known for to the software company it was today. Profits had grown and now the company was making enough to live on, even enough to comfortably look after his work force and maintain his lifestyle, he had made back the money he had spent from his inheritance and then some. The problem was that technically, it wasn't yet his company, not in truth. When it had been offered to him there had been stipulations, his family were very particular on appearances, often invited to high end events such as grand openings, movie premieres and charity balls and knowing that their only son didn't enjoy any of these, they had written in a clause to keep him in check. Tobias had to attend at least half of the events he was given invites to every year, he had to never disgrace himself in public, though what he did in private was his own business so long as he kept it that way, and he had to keep this up for five years to own the company in full. The hope had been that it would become second nature to him, and that he would learn to love it. If he failed, both his inheritance and the company would be taken from him along with the further inheritance he was due to receive once his parents had passed away.

It had been only three years, almost four, so he didn't have the luxury of doing what he liked just yet and letting the facade drop. The inheritance, he didn't care about, he would happily give it back nor did he care about what they had to leave him when they died. No, the company though...in guiding it to where it was today he had gotten to know the workers and the executives helping to run it, those that had been on the verge of being fired with his families original plans to liquidate and sell the business for parts. Tobias had hundreds of people working for him and major plans to triple that number, including one that if it went through, would make his inheritance look like pocket change, enough money that he wouldn't have to live by his family rules any longer, but for that he needed the company signed over to him...and to guarantee that he had to both tow the line and prove to be successful in running it, but not so successful that his greedy parents chose to keep it instead. He was almost there, just one more year and he could put his plans into action...but recently he'd had a new problem. It had been noticed that the heir of the Calvert family did not have a demihuman servant. In truth he'd always found the practice distasteful, but it was common, even fashionable for the aristocratic and the elite to have one or many demihumans working for them. Slaves at best, chattel at worst it was so engrained in society that his lack had become notable, and his parents hadn't been pleased. They'd asked him to get himself a servant and when he had refused, saying that he was doing fine on his own and enjoyed his solitude in the home they had provided him with, they had insisted. Finally, last month, they had given him an ultimatum, saying that to not have a servant was tantamount to breaking his contract with them, and so reluctantly he had relented.

He'd taken a couple of weeks to choose using the online ordering service of the highest, most reputable sellers, though honestly he couldn't think why selling slaves would be considered reputable when he considered it barbaric...browsing the many girls they had for sale. He'd have been fine with any servant, male or female since he had no actual desire to own a slave but his family was not going to stand for him having a male demihuman...no, that would be seen as announcing to the entire world that he was a homosexual, and that wouldn't do at all. In the end he had found himself unable to decide, all of the recommended choices seemed fine, they were known to be well trained and at least showed the appearance of being happy and obedient but he'd drifted to the problem section. Still up for sale, as the company still wanted to make money from them, the prices were significantly lowered and these girls had been scheduled for either sale within 3 months to a private owner or sale to some of the lower end brothels, where they would spend the rest of their lives with less than reputable clients pawing at them or worse, forced into making porn against their will. If he was going to purchase a slave, he might as well save one of these from a terrible fate, he wished he could save them all...in the end he had settled on a canine girl named Riley, amused by the numerous reports that he had access to of her scratching and biting her handlers. Even now he knew she was in the bedroom upstairs, she'd been delivered earlier, sedated as she had put up a struggle and he'd ordered for them to leave her in the room he'd prepared, without her collar. The men delivering her had warned against that, the shock collars were a staple and used to keep them under control, but he had insisted, and they weren't foolish enough to argue with him when they didn't know that he wasn't cruel enough to have them fired.

Finishing up his work, he decided he would check on her to see if the sedative had worn off yet. He was dressed in black trousers and a deep green shirt, casual enough while looking presentable for any unannounced visitors, rare as they were. He had no shoes on, just white socks and he stretched as he stood before making his way up to the room he'd set out for her. He didn't bother to knock, he had no idea how she was going to react upon meeting him but he had a feeling that knocking wouldn't get him anywhere and as he pushed open the door he could see she was already awake and had her eyes on the window. It wasn't locked, though there was no easy way down besides jumping or maybe hanging down from the ledge and dropping but she'd definitely hurt herself. She didn't seem to have noticed him and he leaned against the doorframe and smiled. Despite being the one in power here, he was nervous, there was every possibility she would attack him or try to jump through the window or both, and he really didn't want her to get hurt.

"You know it would be easier if you took the door, Riley. It's a long drop and you're not a cat, I double checked." He smiled at her, trying to look friendly and casual. She was definitely cute, he could see the appeal of demi humans as sexual partners but the thought of forcing himself on one just did not sit right with him, and he knew they had no reason to trust a human. Worse, if he actually entered into a relationship with one he would absolutely be disowned, it might even be illegal, he hadn't familiarized himself with the laws on it recently. "Or you could stay here, it's much safer. If you were seen walking around here with no collar and nobody with you I can guarantee you will be taken back to that facility, or worse." He stepped towards her and held out his hand to shake. "My name is Tobias by the way, Tobias Calvert."

 

[Bunny]

Her focus had been on escaping and she’d let her guard down. Who was foolish now? Spinning at the sound of a voice she growled. The ears that had been relaxed flattened to her head and her tail rose. The posture was offensive, it told him to stay away. Riley wasn’t cowering, she was angry and ready to defend herself, violently if necessary. The smile he offered didn’t do what he’d hopped and she growled again, a low, rumbling sound in her throat. “I could take care of myself..” In her mind, Riley could.. At least to a point. She was fast and could fight. That however was not likely not enough. She knew it, he likely knew it. Being a fighter wasn’t enough. She was small, tiny and when put against someone like him..

Even from where she stood near the bed, she could tell she’d come to his sternum, if that. He was built, not a body builder, but clearly took care of himself. Teeth and claws would only carry her so far. He easily outweighed her too. When he came toward her Riley took a step backward, her teeth bared, a snarl of warning given. “Stay away from me..”

Riley had never been given reason to trust humans. It wasn’t even the males, both sexes were horrible monsters. Ironic really, when they called her kind monsters. So she had a tail, ears.. fangs and could and likely would go into heat. She was about the age for it at least. The crude jokes as to how their kind came about, about their intelligence and a variety of other things. The fact that he kind was used as a free workforce, cleaning, building, fucking. Why risk jail for your predilections when you could use, abuse, torture and even kill their kind without question. They were property and what one did with their property was their business. In truth Riley had been lucky in some aspects, because if her… nature.. she’d never been given to a predator in human skin as a child. Riley had always had a fight rather than flight response. The few had tried had scars to remember her by. Besides, there were meeker demihumans out there, those more pliable. Even then, she’d been sixteen before anyone had even considered it, now at eighteen, it was almost amazing that she was still untouched.

“What do you want, human?” This was in response to his name and she eyed him with distrust and disgust.

 

[Staine]

Laughing softly, Tobias didn't pull back as Riley stepped away and growled at him, he kept his eyes on hers and he kept his hand extended. He expected her to be scared, and from her profile on the website he expected her to be even violent but wasn't bigoted like most of the humans in his position. Tobias didn't see her like they did, as an animal to be tamed, as a slave to punish or subdue, as a challenge to conquer. He saw a scared young woman who would fight to her last breath to save herself, but was still scared of what people like him wanted to do to her. A valid fear too...had he been another man he'd have the shock collar on her already, he would have simply pressed the button on the remote and watched her jerk and fall to the floor. Then, he'd have raped her, because that was how her kind was treated. He hated that, hated that it was her expectation of this world.

He stepped even closer, and he was still smiling, his tone was soft despite it being clear he had a strong, deep voice. "It's okay Riley, relax. You have no reason to trust me except that I did not allow them to keep that collar on you...but you're in no danger. You don't have to worry or fight." When he was almost close enough to reach out and touch her, he stopped moving, keeping his hand extended. To move closer would be to invade her personal space and he didn't want to do that right now, she had a little room to retreat if she needed it, she could lash out and he would accept it, or she could take his hand, shake it, hell she could sniff it if she liked. She was a canine, he knew enough to know what a dog acted like. That was the reason for this posture...he'd been around plenty of actual dogs and he knew that to approach a dog he didn't know it was better to do with with a palm out, to let them feel safe.

"I have no doubt you can take care of yourself, I saw the wound on the man who brought you here, he didn't look very happy when I told him to remove your collar." He laughed and grinned a little, it had been satisfying to see that he'd been bleeding. "You're strong, dangerous even, but please, think before you attack me. I don't want to hurt you, I swear for what it's worth...all I want from you is for you to know that you're okay here, you're safe. And..." He flashed her a smile again. "I'm about to eat, would you like anything in particular? And to drink? Is there anything you'd like in the way of clothing, I didn't know what you would prefer so I bought several outfits, your measurements were on the website. They're in the wardrobe, here, they're yours if you want them." His hand still out, he added hastily. "Yours with no strings, I don't want payment of any kind."

 

[Bunny]

Relax. Right. That wasn't going to happen and the look that flickered across her face said so plain as day. He said as much, that there was no reason for Riley to trust him. Oh, he hadn't kept her collared. Her eyes narrowed though she didn't answer him. What was she meant to say? Oh thank you master for not collaring me like a fucking animal. You are far too kind. Can I suck your cock? No, she didn't voice these thoughts, knowing it would do her no good. She hated all humans and how they though basic decency was something to be special. It wasn't as if humans hadn't committed such atrocities against their own people. Slavery had been something long before her kind had begun to crop up, though for a while, it hadn't. Humans hadn't been enslaved to other humans and then demi-humans had appeared.

He kept speaking and Riley was forced to wonder if he liked the sound of his own voice even as he pandered to her. Strong, dangerous. He clearly didn't think that was true. His hand was held out toward her even as he crowded her. Sure she could have taken a step back but Riley wasn't one to back down. Her ears lowered and she lunged, without warning her sharp teeth breaking through his skin. she was retreating instantly, his blood on her lips and her growl louder than before.

She wanted nothing from him. Not food, not mindless prattle about how she was safe here. No, not this human. He wasn't like the others. He hadn't looked her over. Hadn't become aroused; though this had been minor she had smelled it on him. He'd said there were no strings, nothing attached to that offer of food. wiping her mouth she growled again, the rough sound like a long, never ending purr. Leave. I am dangerous.

 

[Staine]

Tobias could see that she wasn't getting any calmer from his words which wasn't exactly surprising. He didn't know exactly what went on at the centers demi-humans were sent to in order to be prepared and sold as slaves, he was sure he could probably find out of he really wanted to but it had been something he had no desire to know the full extent of. Even so, he knew none of it was pleasant, being treated as property and an animal never would be, and for one like Riley who was obviously a fighter it had to be even harder. He knew that most demi-humans were trained out of this kind of behaviour early, it took a lot of willpower to maintain such aggression while having humans actively try to beat it out of you, torturing you, starving you or whatever the hell they had done. After going through all of that, he knew better than to expect her to trust him. Maybe one day...but that didn't mean he couldn't try now to show her that he had no intention of harming her.

So he kept his hand out and he kept his smile, even stopped so as to not push her any further into the corner than he already had. Unfortunately, he must not have stopped far enough back because she lunged at him and before he could pull his hand back her teeth, sharper because of her canine features, had sank into the flesh of his hand. "Ahh, fuck..." Consciously, he tried to suppress the desire to yell and swear but in reality, while he managed to at least keep his voice down he couldn't stop the expletive escaping, it had hurt a lot and he hadn't been fast enough to pull back. Once she'd released him, she had retreated and her eyes were on him again as he brought his injured hand back to himself, holding it with his other hand. His smile had flickered, become a pained feature but slowly it came back and he laughed, grinning and shaking his head.

"I suppose I deserved that, eh? My fault, my fault...I better go bandage it before I bleed all over your floor though." In the meantime he reached down and tore a strip of fabric from his shirt, completely ruining it but at least giving him something to wrap his hand with, which he did while he spoke, still trying to smile at her. "Foolish of me I know, you've probably been through an awful lot but the optimistic part of me hoped we might start off a little better. No matter...Riley, please, I won't lock you in here and I won't stop you leaving, don't use the window though, you'll hurt yourself. The door is open, I have no guards, the gate is strong but can be unlocked from the inside quite easily, the keys are by the front door..." This was a gamble in itself, she could try to run, try to leave and while he would let her, they both knew what would happen. He didn't have guards, but outside of his property there were always officers patrolling, those that would see a demi-human alone, with no collar, and grab them. What happened then would not be pretty. "...but you'd be lucky to last the day without being captured and I can do nothing to stop that. If you stay, you'll be safe, I promise you that though I know my word is worth little to you right now." He had finished wrapping his hand by now. "I'm going to leave you here to think about it, you have a free run of the house, my home is your home, and I'm going to make something to eat. I haven't had steak in a while, if it's not to your taste then the kitchen is well stocked, please help yourself." He left her there after that, leaving the door to her room open so as not to make her feel closed in while he went to properly treat his new wound and make the food he'd promised.

 

[Bunny]

She tasted blood as her teeth sank into his flesh, the sweet coppery taste wasn’t all that appealing, but she wasn’t biting him because she liked it, she bit him in defense. He was too close. Whatever she expected of him, it wasn’t the soft curse. Yelling and hitting were normally the go to, but not with him. A soft curse, a tightness around his eyes and a flicker in the smile as she retreated further from him, still growling. The deep rumbling bass though seemed almost unsure. He wasn’t like anyone she’d ever encountered before. It threw her a bit, but in truth, Riley was pretty sure he was insane.

Who else would still smile after being bitten? Worried about bleeding on her floor. Right.. her floor. And she was the Easter Bunny. He wouldn’t lock her in, but please don’t jump from this floor, use the door. Insane. Weird. Freak. All these words and more danced in her head as she looked at him, his own shirt now being wrapped around the delicate teeth marks her canines had left. He told her she could leave, but even she knew her chances. Running, if she could get away would only get her so far. Likely, she’d be picked up, uncollared as she was. Raped. Yes, that was a high probability as well and then turned back over if she was unlucky. Lucky would probably be death. Dim view, sure, but the reality of her kind.

He left, talking about steak and offering her free rein of his home. She stayed in the corner until she couldn’t hear him anymore. Once he was gone, she bared the door with a chair and then retreated to the bed. Caution was the name of the game. Hours passed before she began to explore the room. Night fell when hunger finally drove her to leave the room. her bare feet were quiet on the dark wooden floor boards. They were well cared for and under her slight weight did not creak.

Ears and nose were used along with her exceptional night vision. His scent hung in the air like a memory, faint, but constant. As did the scent of lemon floor polish and the faint remains of cooked meat. It was the latter that she followed to the kitchen. Like the rest of the house it was well appointed and simple in its elegance. Pale marble, dark wood, splashes of deep emerald green.

Shifting she looked around, where was the damn fridge? A frown wormed between her brows as she felt along the floor to ceiling panels, fingers finding an edge. A soft snort left her. So rich he hid his fridge for aesthetics? Pulling the door open she found herself looking into the bright glow of the blue white light as it illuminated the contents.

Riley didn’t know how to cook, it wasn’t s skill anyone had wanted to teach her. Why arm the already aggressive bitch? Her lack of cooking skills however did not stop her from being able to prepare a simple sandwich. Ham shaved thin was topped with bread and butter pickles, a jar of mayonnaise was pulled out as she turned in a circle looking for the silverware. The sandwich hand been built so far on a napkin as Riley hadn’t wanted to hunt down a plate.. she did however need a knife.

 

[Staine]

Tobias had plenty of time to think things through while he cooked. As his steak was in the pan and gently grilling he tried to understand why Riley was feeling how she was, why she was so aggressive. The obvious answer was because why wouldn't she be? Born to a life of slavery or misery, surrounded by cruel humans day and night, and if she ever stopped fighting then Tobias knew as well as anybody that it wouldn't be rewarded. No, the cruel slavers that had held her captive, and slavers was exactly the right word for them, he felt, then it would be seen as acceptance. They would assume she was accepting her place and they would go from simply hurting her to hurting her while also doing far more terrible things. Rape, and a hell of a lot of it. Training, they called it, convincing themselves that it's not rape if they are a sub-human. They don't have rights so how would it be rape?

In her place he hoped he would be like her, fighting constantly, unwilling to accept the unfairness of it all, it was why he'd deliberately chosen a demi-human from their problem list. That, and he knew they had terrible fates waiting for them if they continued refusing to cooperate. Then she'd been told she had been bought, taken to a strange house, sedated by an angry delivery man and woken up in a strange bed in a strange room, with a strange man telling her that everything is okay now. A human man. He laughed as he took the steaks out of the pan. He'd have probably bitten himself too, what a dumb idea it had been to try and push through the distrust like that. Tobias had taken his steak, and hers, along with some veggies grilled in the same pan, to the table and rather than wait for her, he just started eating, lost in his thoughts of how to make the situation more livable for both of them. She couldn't leave alone, it would be too risky though he felt she might do it just to spite him at this point...and he needed her to be here to take care of his own problem with his parents. Apart from that he already knew he couldn't just send her back to that hell now that he'd met her...as bad as it was he managed to sleep at night by not thinking of what was happening, now he had a face to put onto it. There was no way he'd let her go back there again without a fight even if he didn't know her. After his food, he watched a show on the television, and she hadn't been down to eat yet so he wrapped the plate in aluminium foil with the food he had cooked for her still on it and placed it in fridge. It would need warming up but would be edible, if she didn't eat it he would. Then he had gone and taken a shower, then gone to bed.

He hadn't been able to sleep, he was just laying there, thinking. Wondering how she was getting on, he tried to put it out of his mind but eventually gave in, getting up to go and knock on her bedroom door and ask if she needed anything. There was no harm in that, right? When he got there, the door was open. Swearing under his breath, a flicker of light caught his attention, coming from downstairs, like somebody was opening the fridge and his frown turned to a grin. Trying to be quiet, he slipped down the stairs and when he got to the doorway to the kitchen he could see her looking around for something, and saw that she'd made herself a sandwich. "Under the sink, the two drawers to the right." Once again he found himself in a doorway, though this time he stepped in, thinking maybe how he'd been blocking the doorway in her room might have had her more on edge, and he stepped to the side so she could leave if she really wanted to. "You're looking for a knife, right? To cut the sandwich? At least I hope it's for the sandwich" He grinned at his own dumb joke. "Well that's the drawer the knives are in. I did make you food though, earlier. It's wrapped in aluminium foil, in the fridge, just a steak, some veggies." He laughed again softly. "Don't forget a drink too. There are some unopened soda cans if you don't trust me, there is milk in the fridge door and I think some beers but I wouldn't recommend drinking when you don't feel well. Is there anything I can help with? Is your room okay?"

 

[Bunny]

She had smelled his food of course, when he had cooked and while her stomach had growled at her much like she had at him, she hadn't budged from her room. She didn't trust him. Why would she? Darkness had well and truly fallen when she'd crept into the kitchen and while his scent and the food lingered in the air, they were fading. It made her feel... safer. His scent wasn't a comfort, just as his presence hadn't been. Riley wasn't used to trusting anyone, why would she? She'd only ever known abuse and pain at the hands of others. A life of such treatment was hard to ignore and when someone offered something far good to be true, it always was. She might have once been foolish enough to trust him, but not now. Jaded and defenses high.

The knock on her door would have been heard and she would have hoped he would take the silence as a sign. So she wasn't in there, the answer wouldn't have changed had she been. Unfortunately, she had left the door open, signaling her absence... His attempt at silence was futile and had she been less wary of Tobias, it might have been honestly cute; he tried to observe her, to sneak up but not harm her. Riley only found it tedious that he'd seen the light and annoying that he had decided to investigate.

When she looked over her shoulder, he was to the side, not blocking her in. The look was highly unfriendly, even as he helped her find the knife she needed. Much like before, Riley found that he liked the sound of his own voice. It was annoying, the prattle of his nerves grating on her own as she fished a knife out of the drawer he had indicated. She bared her teeth at him as he told her of the food he'd made. She wouldn't trust it. Nor would she trust the drinks. She did however find a glass after a moment of hunting... no reason to not take her time, he knew she was here... Ice was added to it and then cool tap water. The chances he'd have doped either source was low. Looking at him she took a slow drink. She was thirsty and while it rankled to have him suggest she drink, it was almost as if she said 'There, you happy?' with the action. Turning her back on him she picked up her sandwich and walked around the counter, taking a wide berth toward the door.

Trust wouldn't come easy.

Had she thought about it and or cared, Riley might have known she was being a royal pain in the ass. She hadn't spoken to him, she'd bitten him and she was treating him like a monster. But the sad truth was that was how she saw him. As a monster.

 

[Staine]

Tobias wondered what she was thinking. It was hard to imagine, but he felt it necessary in order for him to understand. He gave up on that train of thought within minutes as he watched her search around the kitchen. She seemed annoyed, angry, anything but scared, which he knew was likely the emotion she was trying to run from, trying to hide. Fear...it manifested as anger in her, because anger meant she could fight something or rage against something whereas fear was...well, it was scarier. Fear was paralyzing.

Knowing and understanding all of this, even if she didn't understand or realize it herself, didn't make a difference, didn't make her anger seem any less real.

She knew he was there, she had glared at him, bared her teeth at him as she found the things she needed in the kitchen and even drank a glass of water when he had reminded her to get a drink. He hadn't spoken this time, just watched in silence and simply chuckled at the show she had made of drinking the water. Once she had her sandwich he had watched her take the widest berth she could around him to leave the room and he had made no effort to get in her way, letting her pass before following a healthy distance behind her. He presumed she was going back to the room he had given her and probably didn't appreciate that he had come to watch her make the food but he couldn't help it...it frustrated him, how she seemed to view him as a threat but there was nothing he could do about it besides wait, it was perfectly natural that she would be wary of people and people like him in particular. "You're not going to talk to me any time soon, are you?" He tried to keep the sigh out of his tone when he said it, waiting until she was at the top of the stairs before he started taking them up himself. "That's okay, but we are going to run into each other eventually and in two weeks my father is coming. I'm going to need a favour from you then, and you absolutely cannot say no. I know you will want to, and it may hurt your pride but this is important, Riley. Please come and find me when you're ready to at least talk about it."

As he got to the top of the stairs, he left her there and went to his own room instead. Climbing into bed, he'd put her out of his mind, it wouldn't help to rush her so he would let her spend the next few days, the next week, by herself, let her have the freedom of the house and maybe she will realize she isn't in danger here.

 

[Bunny]

He followed her and he was correct in the fact it bothered he'd come to watch and it bothered her that he followed. She tolerated it, he was far enough back from her that she didn't feel trapped and honestly, what other choice did she have. She walked in huffy silence till reaching her door. It was there he spoke again it it was there that she spoke to him. Maybe it would surprise him. "I see no reason to talk to you.." She could have said what had followed in her mind, about his loving the sound of his own voice but she saw no need. What she had said was more than enough.

His request of a favor earned him a look like he'd grown a second head before she closed the door pointedly in his face. Riley listened to him climb the stairs to his own room before curling up in a corner and eating her dinner.

This became a routine for the next few days. Riley left to obtain sustenance and retreated once fed. She took care to clean her dishes and had the food not been vanishing or did he not catch her making it, it was as if she was not there. She let this go on for a week and a half and he seemed to hold to his word. He asked nothing of her and while he still attempted small talk, did not push or crowd her again.

It made her wary and it also made her feel like she should at least see what this fucking favor was. She didn't trust him and he had already admitted she'd not like the favor... It was the only limit so to speak that he'd presented to her.

The outfits that had been placed in her wardrobe had been well made and in her size and held a variety of options but at the moment, without doing laundry, Riley was starting to have to pick from outfits that were hitting her least favorite. That wasn't to say the forest almost sage green dress wasn't lovely. It was lovely and she wouldn't have admitted it, but Riley loved it. Soft cotton, the backless design and flowy nature made her feel like a fairy. Had she thought at the start of this week she would actually make a point of seeking him out, she would have worn the outfits differently..

Bare feet sounded on the wood just outside his study. The door was open and though the small figure didn't appear in the doorway, he shadow did. If he looked he would see the shadow squirm back and forth, as if working up the courage to enter. When she finally worked up the nerve, he'd find her standing here, her hair pulled into a messy bun, tendrils tickling her bare shoulders. Her eyed were down and her hands were knotting before her.. She seemed shy, unsure as she wrangled with her own mind. It was clear when she'd made it past that phase of uncertainty however... for her chin shot up and her eyes met his. Hostile and unhappy that she was even here.

"What is the favor."

No pomp. no frills. A demand and hostility. But it was the first thing she'd said to him in over a week.

 

[Staine]

Honestly it wasn't a hard week for him. Once he got used to the idea of just leaving her alone to settle in and find her own way around, it had been easy to pretend like Riley wasn't even in his home. She didn't take anything she wasn't welcome to, she cleaned up after herself which was unexpected but definitely a pleasant surprise, and she didn't eat much. He did take note of the things she did take, when she ate something he would be sure to get more of it. Not just more, but more varieties. One day the sliced turkey he had bought had vanished so he had put in an order for a quick delivery and the next day there had been not only more of it, but some that had been peppered, some that had been cooked in garlic. Anything she ate or drank was replaced like this and he took notes of what she seemed to like the most, it became at least something he could do. When they moved into the second week, it started getting harder and he knew he was going to have to talk to her soon but he didn't know how to approach her for this...he knew that given her resistance and personality that if he just demanded it, then it wouldn't end well for her, he had to hope. Thankfully she came to him a couple of days before he had decided he needed to tell her by, and when she came into his study he was busy working. He looked up, gave a soft smile and closed his laptop.

"Take a seat. This isn't a short explanation, I just need you to hear it. One way or the other, you need to be ready." There was a chair on the other side of his desk where she was, there was also a more comfortable chair in the corner of the room, which he often sat in when he had to read through some documents but didn't have any other actual work to do with them. He would have waited, but she was here now so he wasted no time in trying to explain the problem that they were both about to face. Not knowing quite where to start...he started at the beginning.

"Riley, I'm sure you'll find this hard to believe but I never wanted you here...I have no use for a slave or a servant, I'm capable of making my own food, doing my own shopping and taking care of my own needs. When I want a partner, I go to the bar and I find a girl that is willing and wants to be with me so I have no use for a sex slave either." He looked her in the eyes. "You're beautiful, I'm sure you know that, but you're a lot less...consenting, than I would like, that does not appeal to me. It never has, however...my family does not feel the same way." With a sigh he picked up the firm but gelatinous ball he kept in a small bowl on his desk and started to squeeze it in his right hand...obviously this was stressing him out a little, having to have this conversation and he felt bad just for having to say it, Tobias wasn't proud of his family, or his race for that matter. "I put off buying a servant for the longest time, as long as I could but it has been made clear to me that if I do not take one for my own, then everything I have, everything I have been given, will be taken from me." He laughed and smiled, thinking it ironic that he was trying to get her to care about what he owned, as if she had any reason to.

"I'm sure none of it matters to you, you couldn't care less if I lose everything and yes, I am spoiled. I was given everything I ever wanted in life including the company and business I own...but I have worked hard to make it into what it is. I treat my employees well, I do my best to make it not just mine, but theirs too, and that is all in danger. My father will be visiting...he demanded I take a servant, and he will want to see for himself that I have." He looked at her pointedly. "That means you, Riley. He will expect you to be obedient, submissive, respectful...all of the things he expects from his own servants. If my father comes here and you are rude to him, swear at him, bite him, disobey him or aren't even wearing the traditional outfit for a servant of my family, then...first he will take my company away. I need to listen to him for just one more year before it becomes fully mine and then my business and my employees are safe...if he took it he would lower their wages, fire those he thinks he doesn't need, he would do anything to save money. The home he would probably let me keep...you however..." He gave her a sad smile. "He would have you removed, re-trained at his own home and likely brutally, he has men and women both who take care of servants and I'm sure it's not a pleasant experience. I don't want that to happen to you, we haven't quite become the friends I had hoped we would but you seem like a nice girl, you don't deserve that. None of your kind deserve that happens to you..." he went quiet, he looked almost ashamed.

Then he managed to gather his thoughts. "So when my father comes I would like you to wear the outfit I selected, and act like you are submissive, obedient and trained...I will try to make it as short a visit as I possibly can, certainly no more than a couple of hours and I promise you I will absolutely not let him touch you or lay a hand on you in any way...and once he is gone you can go back to your room and do whatever it is you do in there." He laughed softly. "While we are on the subject, is there anything you need, or that would make you more comfortable? A computer, a television, some movies, books?"

 

[Bunny]

Orders were not a thing that Riley loved and a suggestion that could be seen in the same light had her bristling. Take a seat. Tobais had likely meant it to be kind, but it made her want to stand, just to defy the expectation. Arms crossed under her breasts and her weight shifted to one side. Her chin lifted some, as if daring him to suggest it again. When he did not, Riley relaxed some but remained standing as he began.

Silent as his explanation started, her emotions were written clearly across her face. She didn’t believe him. Why would she? Tobias was the only human she had ever encountered with the values that he had. He was an aberration and most certainly not the norm. It was why it was easier to think this was all some kind of twisted trap rather than the truth. It seemed more logical than the truth. When he looked at her, calling her beautiful she bared her teeth. Still wild, feral.. Maybe it was a blessing she didn’t also growl? But her face fell back into the stubborn lines he was likely becoming accustomed to as he continued.

After a long time, she finally spoke. He’d explained what he needed from her. What was at stake for himself and her. Her blue gray eyes considered him before her bare feet padded across the cool wood and she sat herself before his desk. “Why do they care that you have me?” She had a feeling she knew the answer and of the small chance that he was an honest person… Riley didn’t want to be broken. It was the fate that had awaited her before he’d bought her. She knew that and there was little doubt that he knew that.

Shifting she curled her legs to her chest, her cheek resting on her knees along the soft green of her dress. She doubted how well she would do with this.. Charade and like before her thoughts played along her face, open as a book. They were most certainly doomed.

Then came the bribe.. While Tobias wouldn’t see it that way, Riley did. She frowned at him. “Assuming I agree, it will be payment for leaving me be.. You don’t need to bribe me like a child.” The fact that she did want such things aside.. She’d never been allowed such comforts. Many of her kind were around such things, but few could claim to have them as their own.

 

[Staine]

Tobias had predicted this, not like it was hard, it didn't make him Nostradamaus or anything to predict that Riley would be untrusting, and that asking her to take a seat would result in her standing in a rather aggressive stance, but all the same he had to force himself not to smile as she crossed her arms in front of her. Why he found it endearing, that was another mystery altogether but the fact was that he did. Whenever she resisted even the smallest acts of kindness or concern from him then it only made him more concerned about her, and more interested in keeping her safe. Thankfully her aggressiveness did end there, and she was quiet as he spoke and explained exactly what he wanted from her, the favour he had been wanting to ask her. He knew it wasn't going to be an easy sell, he warned her it was going to be something she didn't want to do but he knew it was something she must do anyway. His job now was to convince her, maybe to help her understand how to do it. He considered that he might have to use the few days they had left to train her in a few mannerisms and how to hold her temper because he meant what he said, he would absolutely not let anybody touch her, she was safe from that...but he knew his father and he knew his eyes would be on her, he would probably comment on her appearance and from what he knew of Riley she would bite back...he couldn't let that happen.

He was mildly surprised when she actually sat down, and asked a question, but that gave him hope that she would take this seriously. "They care because I don't." He let the words sink in before he continued. "When your family is as wealthy and publicly involved as mine is, appearances become so very much more important. I'm their son, I'm my father's heir and since he gave me this failing business to see how I would handle it, I have gained attention. The business...my business...is no longer failing, the changes I have made have turned things around and it hasn't gone unnoticed. As that hasn't gone unnoticed, neither has the fact that I've never taken as servant when most men and even women in my position have several, dozens for some. I live alone, I do my own chores and I don't have a sex slave and in this society, that is strange. Because it is strange, people will talk about it and my father hates that, so I was forced to take a servant." He let silence continue for a few more moments as he looked Riley in the eyes. "And because no stain my be present on the family order, my father wants to make sure that my servant will not embarrass the family. If he decides that you will then he will make an example of you just because he can...he is not a good man." There was a look of distaste in his own eyes as he said it. He didn't like any of this, he didn't care what others thought of him.

"I can't lose this business...there are a lot of people, good people, who would be ruined if my father got hold of it, the way he runs things is very different, they would have less control, a lot would simply be let go and more...servants...would be put in their place who will do the work because they are forced to and not because they are getting paid. Right now I have full control, and I have a contract that says that if I continue to tow the line then in around a year from now it will become mine completely, and he will lose the ability to take it from me. Until then I need to at least try to keep him happy, I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't feel I had to..." When she mentioned a bribe his eyes widened in shock. "A bribe? What do you mean, I haven't..." It dawned on him what she was talking about. "You mean my offer of a computer or television? I think you misunderstand me...I was just asking if you would like anything like that, it's not contingent on any kind of behavior...even if you say no to this you can have them, I just wanted to offer, that's all...I don't know what you do in the room all day but some entertainment is better than none, right?" He looked taken aback by the way she had accused him, to the point that he frowned briefly. "And I plan to leave you alone either way. You've made it quite clear you want nothing to do with me...I'd hoped we could at least be friendly, it would be nice to have somebody to talk to but it doesn't matter, ultimately. You want your solitude and you're welcome to it, I have no desire to force myself into the life of somebody that doesn't want me there."

 

[Bunny]

They care because I don’t wasn’t a very good explanation and it showed, but she didn’t say anything as he continued. It was much like she’d thought. Appearances. It was stupid and Riley wrinkled her nose in distaste. The fact that him having a dimi-human as a sign of status was sickening, but it was the world they lived in. While she doubted many of her kind liked the world the way it was, they accepted their lot in life. They didn’t fight the system like she did, like the minority of their kind did.

They were all but domesticated.

“I see,” she said softly and while she didn’t trust Tobias, what he said made sense at least. His own revulsion when he spoke of his father helped her believe in his sincerity to a point. He could find his father distasteful for other reasons and this was just a mask but Riley was beginning to wonder who would put this much effort into a lie and for so long with no real end goal in sight.

The way he spoke about his company was also a comfort of a sort, it seemed clear that he cared.. She’d spent so little time with Tobias that she’d had no real frame of reference for who he was, only the monster she’d made up in her mind. He was slowly chipping away at that belief.

When his eyes widened and he questioned her, Riley nodded. Frowning some she sat up in the chair, her legs sliding away from her chest as she watched him. “May I read some of your books then?” Even though he’d offered, Riley still expected him to say no.

 

[Staine]

Tobias could tell that she didn't like anything he was saying, neither did he for that matter but it had to be said, he needed to get this across to her. Her answer was simple, just two words and neither of them confirming or refusing his request. He kept his eyes on her and he had continued on but no confirmation came later either, just the request to read some of his books. He hadn't expected that, he'd expected her to ask for some of her own or the computer, if she could get past seeing it as a bribe rather than the offer that it had been, but some of his books? Taken aback a little, he nodded and started to rise. "My books? I suppose if that's what you want then sure, maybe they are to your taste or maybe they aren't but you're welcome to take a look. My personal library is in my bedroom, it's where I do most of my reading." He gestured to the books that were behind where he sat at the desk. "These...these are philosophical, encyclopedias and business related books, honestly I rarely read them unless I am trying to look up something in particular. You're welcome to those too, but I wouldn't recommend them."

He started walking towards the door, intending to show her the selection of books in his room and rather than walk too close, he gave her a bit of a wide berth. He wasn't trying to mock her, and he wasn't scared of her, but that was how she had preferred to pass him and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. He paused at the door. "Follow me, if you like, and I'll show you to where I keep the good books. I like horrors and mysteries the most but I have a little something for every genre and you can choose." He left her in there. It would have been polite to hold the door open for her but then again, she probably wouldn't go through it if he was too close to it, so instead he walked up to his own bedroom and pushed open the door, walking inside. There was indeed what seemed like his own personal library against one of the walls, rows of bookcases all sorted by genre and then alphabetically. He hoped she wouldn't judge him by the cuffs that were clearly visible on his bed which was against the back wall, though he knew she was going to. He didn't even know for sure if she was following him to the room, or if she would even enter. "If you don't want to come in I understand, just let me know what kind of book you'd like," he called out, waiting for an answer.

 

[Bunny]

He was right, she hadn't answered him but Riley didn't see that she had much of a choice in the matter. So her answer felt superfluous. Riley would play pet for a few hours. It wasn't honestly a large ask in the grand scheme of things.. and if the alternative was being broken? He' also lose all he had worked for, something else that didn't sit right with her.. Sure a lot of her opinions were based on what she thought of humans.. but they were all the same, right? Tobias was making her question that. This direct challenge to her views made her feel uneasy... but she was tired. Tired of always having to fight.

When he nodded she blinked, surprised. Her eyes flickered to the book he motioned to with his hand and her nose wrinkled some. These looked boring. Turns out her initial thought was accurate. They were boring. She watched him walk around the desk and noticed he kept his distance even now. It was kinda sweet. He knew that Riley didn't want him close, so he made an effort to make her feel more comfortable. That was what he was doing, right? After a moment she rose to follow him.

Trailing a few paces behind him, she followed him up the stairs and stopped in the doorway of his room. Her eyes took it all in and flickered to the cuffs on his bed. She gave a low growl and glared at him. She was so stupid! For trusting him! Were the cuffs also his fathers doing? Something about them, their position told her no. "You don't force yourself on people, huh?" Her words were harder to understand as she growled at him.

 

[Staine]

No matter where he went, Riley seemed to keep her eyes on his every movement and it was crystal clear that she didn't trust him in the slightest. Every word he said would be analyzed through the filter of her own mind, her own experiences and views on how the world was, and that in there there would always be some ulterior motive. If he was nice to her, then he was doing it to throw her off guard, if he offered her something it was a bribe or a trick. The worst part about it was that he understood...he didn't have details but he knew what kind of thing happened to her and those like her, he knew what she had likely seen had led to all of this and he truly hoped that one day she would trust him a little more. She followed him, at least, towards his room a few paces behind in case he tried something no doubt, and she stopped at the doorway to his bedroom. He heard the growl before he heard her speak and while the words were more feral and angry in sound, he still understood what she was saying.

He turned to face her, then looked down at the cuffs. He even smiled, not a cocky grin or smirk or a happy smile, it was more soft, sad. Of course she would see those cuffs and think that of him, why wouldn't she? It didn't make it hurt any less to be accused of that, of rape. That was what she was saying, though in their society, if it were somebody like her it wouldn't even be considered rape. That only made it worse. "No Riley, I don't force myself on people, and I never have." He sat down on the bed, somewhere around the middle of it and looked at her in the doorway. "Nobody has ever had these cuffs on them without consenting to it...enthusiastically I might add, I don't coerce or blackmail either." He opened the drawer next to the bed and pulled out a small ring with two keys on it and grabbing one of the cuffs, pulled it over to his own wrist. He couldn't think of any other way to make her trust him a little so he put it on himself and closed it. "I've even worn them myself a few times, and I was willing too, see? This is the key to them, the only keys." He demonstrated by unlocking his wrist with the key, and then he closed it back, making a show of ensuring it was tight. Once it was he used his free hand to toss the keys towards her. "Better? Now I can't do what you're thinking of, in fact I can't get out until you let me, the bed and cuffs are very sturdy." He gave them a pull to demonstrate, the bed didn't budge and the cuffs were made of a strong, fine leather with thick steel chains and strong locks. From where he was even if he stood and stretched the cuff would allow him to reach decently far but not even close to the bookshelves or the door. "I'd put the other one on for you but I can't do it myself, they don't reach each other so you'd have to do it yourself, but I won't fight if you do, so long as you let me go when you have the books you want." He gestured to the shelves. "Take whatever interests you."

 

[Bunny]

She stayed within the safety of the doorway, growling as he sat on the bed. The smile threw her, and she didn't know how to take it. "But you have cuffs.." She persisted her words gravely with her growls. There was so much about the young woman in the doorway that was innocent despite the brutality of her life to date. The fact that he might want restraints as something he and an consenting partner confused the hell out of her. Why bind someone who was willing? He could easily see her trying to work through his words. He cuffed himself to the bed and threw the keys toward her. They landed near her feet, sliding a few inches across the hardwood floor.

She walked in and picked up the keys carefully, her fingers curling around the small bundle. Walking around the bed, she looked at the cuff, still outside of grabbing distance and shook her head, strawberry locks swaying. "I don't.. I don't understand." Backing away to stand near his books she bit her lower lip. "Why would you want to be cuffed?" It seemed sick, to willingly be bound. Her growling had stopped but her tail was still curled tight to her body. Slowly she lowered herself to the floor. Leaning back against the books, she gazed up at him. fingers toying with the keys. "If I left you here, you'd be stuck?" There was genuine curiosity in her voice, wondering if he had really just put himself at her mercy. An odd turn of events and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

Her eyes drifted from him to the books. He had been honest about his collection and her fingers plucked a book a few shelves above her head and pulled it into her lap, fingers tracing the words. Riley could read, but she wasn't great at it. Her eyes lifted to him, most of her kind could read a little, but to read for pleasure? A luxury many didn't have. Toying with the book she watched him before rising to her feet. She carefully walked to him, one small hand held out, fist closed. She was giving him the keys.

"I may not understand you.. But.. I.. will try."

 

[Staine]

But he had cuffs. A simple statement and so much confusion in her voice. Of course she didn't understand, how could she? In her world, cuffs like these were used to restrain people like her so that people like him could do whatever they wanted to their bodies, to take their pleasure with no way for them to defend themselves. Thinking about it, it must be inconceivable to her that some people willingly wanted that power to be taken, the ability to defend themselves and would happily, excitedly concede control to somebody they trusted. She said she didn't understand and he continued to smile sadly at her and let her take in the situation. She had the keys now, and he hadn't lied, he didn't have another set. Then she asked the question that mattered...why? Why would he want to be cuffed?

"It's...hard to explain. I don't ever want to force myself on somebody that doesn't want me, that is true...but I do like having power, and having a woman cuffed to my bed is something I've liked for as long as I can remember. Maybe I inherited that from my father, maybe it's something I discovered on my own, or from some of those books." He gestured to some on the top shelves. "Those with stories that are more focused on sexuality, stories you should probably avoid." He laughed softly, and it was obvious that he wasn't uncomfortable with the cuff around his wrist, far from it. "Like I said, I've worn them too. I enjoyed it, my body at the mercy of a woman who could do anything she liked with me, forced to endure it, to only have pleasure when she allowed it and even a little pain...the same as I offer to most of the women I bring back here. They put their trust in me, and if they ever wanted to stop then I give them a safeword so that they have that control, so they know they are safe. I promise, these cuffs are just for consensual adults, you won't ever have to worry about them." She seemed to be calming down, she even held her hand out with the keys after looking at a couple of books and he reached out to take them. "Thank you." Then he laughed and smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I would have been stuck. Maybe with enough time I'd have managed to get out, wear down the leather, it's only one cuff after all but it would have taken at least a few hours, probably...but I trust you. I honestly figured you would find the books you needed and throw the keys to me before you left." As he spoke he was uncuffing his wrist, once he was free he pushed the cuff back to where it had been and opened the drawer, placing the keys back inside. He didn't get up from the bed, just watched her.

"Do you need any help choosing? What kind of stories would you like to read? If you need any help with that too, please, let me know. Once I'm done with my work I have little I actually have to do so I'd be happy to help you learn, I don't know how well you've been taught, I can't imagine those...places...bother to teach you things like reading."

 

[Bunny]

He tried to explain to Riley the excitement that could be found giving your power away, to put your trust in someone else. She struggled to understand, as someone who had never had freedom of any kind, to willingly give it up, to allowed yourself to be used for pleasure and to find pleasure from it? It was confusing and she shook her head some. "I don't understand.." She wasn't aggressive with her words nor did she sound confused. No, Riley was lost. Try as she might, she couldn't understand it or him. Her eyes flickered to the top shelf and she blushed. They were sex books? Sex was honestly something she had never given much thought to, not in the sense he meant. Sex wasn't something her kind had a choice of.

After a long moment, Riley decided it must be nice, to have the choice. There was still confusion around the choice, but she felt she maybe understood a bit better than she had. Her eyes met his and she gave a small shake of her head. "I can read, but I am not very good at it.." She wasn't embarrassed by it, it was normal for her kind. She looked at the book. It was a fantasy, and she ran her fingers along the title, tracing the letters. Empire of.. W...y...v...e...r..n..s. "What is W...y...v...e...r..n..s?"

Riley wasn't a child, but her reading was at child level at best. She knew her letters, could sound out words, but that was it. She could also write, but it was shaky and undisciplined. "I can write too, a little." She said after a moment. "But such skills are not taught beyond the rough basics." She shifted and hugged the book to her chest, eyes on him. "You know I might fail pretending.. I am not.. good at hiding..."

 

[Staine]

This was a first. It had been around ten days since Riley had been brought here and when she spoke to him again, simple words saying she didn't understand, there was no aggression in it, nor in her stance. Right now she was talking to him like he wasn't a threat, he could sense she was still wary but she was giving him a chance and Tobias didn't want to waste it. He didn't really make any movements towards her, stayed sitting on the bed and looked up at her. "I didn't think you would. It's not your fault, I'm sure in your world having a choice isn't something you get to think about. You have a choice here, Riley. As long as we manage to appease my father for a few uncomfortable hours then he'll be gone, hopefully for a long time and you are more than welcome to stay here. You'll be safe here, and you'll never have to do anything you don't want to do. I promise." He smiled when he said he promised, and he meant it.

"Wyverns. Why-verns. Big winged lizards, like dragons but they don't breathe fire. They're not real, but there are a lot of them in fantasy books like that one." He stood up this time and made a move closer to her, trying not to make sudden movements and he searched for other books that she might like. He found the Harry Potter series and took them out one by one and he found the Percy Jackson series too. He had a lot of books like these, reading was a pastime that he enjoyed a lot and wished he had more time to sink into. He grabbed the True Blood series while he was there and placed all of the books on a nearby table. "This series is about a boy who finds out he is a wizard, then goes to a magical school to learn. It can get pretty dark but it's a good series. This one is about a boy who finds out he is the son of a god and goes to a camp with other bastard children of the gods, and they go on adventures in both series, and this one is a book about vampires and a girl who falls in love with one. Maybe you'll enjoy these, I did, I've read them all."

He looked towards her and smiled. "I know. It must be hard to control your temper, especially around men like us." He laughed and his hand went to his other, where the small, faint scar from where she had bit him still remained. "It won't be easy, but it won't be for long. We can practice, if you like, if you think it would help. All you have to do is bring me something if I ask you to, leave the room if I ask, return if I ask and...ignore any comments that I may say that you don't like...I promise, I don't mean them, they aren't for your sake." He frowned...he knew he'd likely have to comment on her body and maybe in front of her when his father was there, and he hoped she wouldn't hold it against him.

 

[Bunny]

After a moment Riley nodded. She wasn’t sure she trusted him yet, but she was on her way. Riley found herself wanting to trust him. If they could fool his dad then she’d be safe.. And as free as she could ever hope for. She couldn’t blindly believe him, but it seemed Tobias was making a real effort to win that trust. She looked down at the book as he said the name for her. “Wyvern..” Her voice was soft, as she said it outloud. They seemed to be like dragons..”Are they.. Dragonish?” She looked up at him again, curious.

When he walked closer to her, Riley made an effort to not growl at him, though where her ears and tail had been relaxing, they became a touch defensive again. Bit was a step though, in the right direction. Tobias for his part was careful, moving around her with slow, deliberate movements.

He had found that she seemed to have an interest in fantasy and picked out a few series for her to try. She blinked and looked up at him with large eyes. “That is a lot of books..” She bit her lower lip, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Clutching the one book to her chest she looked at them with those wide eyes.

Her eyes followed his hand, and she blushed looking away. “I.. I am sorry I bit you.” She seemed uneasy, but sincere.. Her eyes lifted and she tilted her head. “Practice?” She took a slow, ddep breath and nodded her consent. “Alright.. Practicing might help..”

 

[Staine]

Tobias could easily see she was still wary of him but it was leaps and bounds better than it had been. She was talking, she was in the same room as he was and she wasn't being aggressive. Her stance changed just a little as he moved close to get the books but he was careful, he didn't want to undo all the progress that had been made so far. He nodded to her. "Kind of like dragons, yeah. I'm not sure what the official difference is, I think they have some kind of venom instead of breathing fire." He'd laid out the books and she had looked at them and said it was a lot of books, which made him chuckle softly. "It is, I would start with the Harry Potter ones, and you don't have to rush. Read at your own pace Riley, nobody is going to take them from you so you don't have to rush." He saw her clutch the one book she had hold of to her chest and it struck him that she wasn't used to having anything like that...anything she could call her own even for a moment. It made him sad, and he frowned a little. Then she said something he wasn't expecting.

He smiled and shook his head. "You don't need to be sorry, it was my own fault, really. I knew you attacked trainers that tried to touch you, you were just defending yourself and I got too close. In your place, I'd have probably bitten me too." He smiled wider, almost a grin and flashed his own brilliant teeth at her. "There's barely a scar left anyway, see? No harm done." She asked about practice, and he nodded. "Something simple. You can try wearing the outfit you would be expected to wear in his presence...I warn you it's a little revealing but I have no intention of pushing anything and I will do my best not to stare...I will a little so you can get used to saying nothing about it. While he is here you would probably...have to call me Master, too. And call him Sir..." He knew that one wasn't going to be easy for her and she was probably going to balk at that, but it would be expected of her all the same. When she said practicing might help he nodded. "Tomorrow. I'd rather you take some time to get used to the idea instead of jumping right in and we have a few days left. Tomorrow we can practice a little, tonight you can choose a book to read, and enjoy it. I'm probably going to watch a movie and order some food." He was so accustomed to her getting her own food when he wasn't around that he didn't think about it immediately, but the thought crossed his mind a few seconds later. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? We have a lot of restaurants around here, you can have anything you want, if you'd like." He was already pulling his phone out and opening the app.

 

[Bunny]

“Venom?” Looking back down at the cover she seemed intrigued. His voice drew her eyes back to him and she bit her lower lip, nodding. No rush.. She could take her time and he had even narrowed her options to one and she found rather than annoyance, she appreciated it. “Okay,” Moving cloer to him, she picked up the first book and it was soon cuddle to her chest along with the other book.

He had a nice smile. It seemed strange to just notice it, but as she’d been too busy hating him, it was something new. Worrying her lower lip she inhaled through her nose and held it before exhaling. He was right, she didn’t like any of it.. But it was a means to an end. She wrinkled her nose, but there was no growling, just a clear sign of distaste. He didn’t push it though, saying they could practice tomorrow and tonight she could read. Exhaling she looked down at her new found treasures.

When he asked if the was something she wanted to eat she let her eyes rise to meet his. She gave a small shrug. “I.. don’t know.” She knew about basic foods, but it seemed silly to have him order things that they had within the kitchen. Even the steak he’d offered her the first night was an exotic and unusual meal for any in her place. “What.. do you like to eat?” it was the first thing she had ever asked him about himself.. The cuffs didn’t count.