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?"