Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“It’s basically slavery. It doesn’t matter that we’re given wages. It’s barely enough to survive on for homo sapiens, while most superious live in luxury and in excess at the expense of the homo sapiens. As I said, you’re at the top, so you don’t understand what it’s like to struggle and suffer.”
Tears well in my eyes as the memories come flooding back to my time as a companion. “Yes, my family lived off grid illegally to escape the Registry. But my parents did that for me and my sister so we could have a better life and not live on the whims of a master who may or may not treat us well. I’m fully aware there are men and women who enjoy their positions as companion because it often comes with perks not granted to the average homo sapien. But what about us who don’t want it? We should have a say in those types of assignments.”
To my surprise he reaches out to me and strokes me cheek. “Your previous assignment was companion. Judging by from your back, you had a difficult time of it,” he say more as a statement than a question.
I snort at his oversimplification. “That’s putting it lightly. It was a real nightmare. If we didn’t perform to the master’s liking, we couldn’t eat. There were a few companions who vied for his attention so they would do whatever they could to undermine the women which would result in us being punished. If I spoke up for myself, I’d get beat, if I looked at the Master in a way he didn’t like, I’d get beat. If I didn’t perform to his liking I would get beat. Every little offense would result in a beating. The Master was a vile sadistic man, who would make us do stuff not only with him but with each other. And sometimes, when he entertained guests, we have to do stuff with them as well.”
Nausea roils my stomach as the memories of the sick things I’d been forced to do came back to me. “As for how my back got this way is there was a new companion, she was freshly entered into the Registry. She was frail and delicate. The Master wanted her to perform a certain act in front of the guests at a party he was throwing. She was terrified so I tried to protect her by speaking up. It angered the Master to the point where I was stripped and then caned to within an inch of my life. I thought I was going to die. I wanted to die. But every day I woke up and I cursed not only my existence but every single superious out there.”
I wipe away another fallen tear. I’ve probably said to much and yet Draken doesn’t yell or get physical just as he promised.
“So is that why you murdered a superious?” comes his retort.
He could have asked me any number of question but that was the last one I’d expected.
Chapter
Sixteen
JAMIE
“Ihear this party tonight is going to be full of important people from the region,” Rose whispers as we’re lined up to be selected for the event that’s about to take place.
I steal a glance in her direction and immediately feel pity. Just 18 years old, this is her first assignment from the Registry. I’ve already warned her that this companion assignment won’t be a cushy one as I know some of them to be, but she refuses to believe me. Since she’s arrived at the Master’s house, she’s regaled us in the stories of her sisters who were all assigned as companions and had lived comfortable lives.
Rose is petite with a small round face that makes her look even younger than her 18 years. She has beautiful curly auburn hair and the biggest brown eyes and a freckles spread liberally along the bridge of her nose. I know just from looking at her, she’d appeal to a certain type of party guest and I felt scared on her behalf.
She’s only been here for a few days and this will be her first party. I can only hope she’s chosen by someone who will at least go easy on her this first time around.
We’ve been given instructions by our caretaker Lynsey, an elderly homo sapien who is in charge of all of the companions, to wear our see-through dresses with no underwear, per the Master’s orders.
I fucking hate that old bitch and I wish daily for her to fall and break a hip. She’s just as bad if not worse than Master Fredresk, hurling abuse at us and calling us whores. If we ever talk back we are instantly punished with a sharp slap from her wrinkly hands.
For some reason she’s one of the few homo sapiens Master Fallen listens to. This old bitch constantly lies to him about misconduct one of the companions had committed just to get them in trouble.