5

Rain pov.

The light goes from white to blue and moves up and down a couple of times before it’s gone, and I’m left standing in a dimly lit small room. I look around me but there’s nothing I can see until another door opens and I see the human from earlier tonight standing behind it. She’s not wearing the tight jeans and shirt she was wearing, instead she’s in shorts and a tank-top, showing much more of her chocolate skin than I could see before. Her straight long hair is tied into a ponytail, making her features stand out more, round face, full lips, sharp nose and big eyes. She’s beautiful, yet I still can’t see any kindness behind her eyes.

“Welcome home, Rain.” She greets me and I take a step back. The Bio-Glaze was never and will never be my home. I’d thought coming here would help me find my parents, would lead to a better life and I was wrong. “I know this is all new to you.” I frown at her words; humans tend to think other species are stupid. It’s annoying.

“I’m not stupid. This isn’t my home.” She pushes her lips together and takes a deep breath that she slowly blows out before nodding.

“Okay, would you like to come inside?” She steps out of the way, and we just stare at each other for a while before she nods and walks away. I stand by myself for a few minutes before I finally give in and follow her inside. There’s a room with big couches in it, bigger couches than I’ve seen in my entire life. They almost take up the entire permitter, leaving space in the middle for a small table with a rug underneath it. The human is seated in the corner of the couch, watching me as I come to stand behind it.

“I don’t know why I’m here.” I tell her, wishing she had just left me at the trading grounds. At least there I know what is expected of me and what happens when I don’t do what is expected of me. Here, with this human who doesn’t fear anything, I’m on unstable grounds and I don’t like it. Not one bit.

“You’re here because I bought your contract with your previous owner.” She spits out the word ‘owner’ like it’s some kind of cuss word.

“So, you would be my new owner.” I’m confused when I can see the anger on her face and her shoulders tense, making her sit up straighter.

“I am not and will never be your owner. I’m hoping to enter into a contract with you, should you want to. Otherwise, you’re free to go if you don’t want to stay here.” This floors me and I watch her, looking for any sign of a lie but her eyes give nothing away and she doesn’t look like she’s joking either.

“They branded me though.” I’d seen other beast men or vampires with brands at the training grounds. I’d never thought it would be so painful but for my advanced healing it wasn’t really a problem. I wonder how other beast men dealt with it. Dogs and cats can’t heal themselves like wolves can. It must have been painful for them, going through that.

“They did what?” She jumps from her seat and walks over to me, grabbing my arms and twisting me, walking around me and feeling me up until I step away from her, pulling off my shirt and showing her my back. “Who the fuck did this?” I can hear the anger in her voice, sense the change in the room but instead of setting me on edge it calms me. No one has ever gotten angry for me outside my family and certainly no human has done so.

“It’s not a big deal, it happens to all slaves.” I’ve seen some who carry it like a badge of honor. Displaying their brands proudly, walking at the side of whatever human owns them, only to show up at the trading ground with a different human a few months later. Human emotion is so fickle so I know Morgan will get over whatever is branded on my back.

“Only you’re not a damn slave, Rain. If I wanted a slave, I would have bought one. I bought you.” She ranges but I don’t see a difference and I tell her as much. “The difference is the purpose. If you don’t want to be here, I’m not forcing you to be. This is supposed to be a mutual agreement between us. The only reason I bought the damn contract from that slime ball is because it would be easier in getting you. I specifically said no markings and he violated the terms of the contract. After I bought you for more than your selling price.” She huffs, walking over to the table and picking up a tablet.

“I wasn’t sold.” I frown, wondering what the hell she’s talking about.

“What?” She looks up from her device, staring at me like I’m the one confused.

“I wasn’t sold. You might have bought me, yes, but no one sold me to Mr. Hutting. I needed the money, so I took the job he offered me.” Her face goes blank, and I watch as a deathly calm settles over her.

“Please sit down, Rain.” I don’t hesitate, not this time. Not after last time and not when the air around her is crackling with something dangerous. “What were the terms of your contract?”

“I would fight for him. Get ten percent of every winning fight and three hundred coins a month, excluding room and board.” None of which happened. The moment I signed that contract I apparently signed some fine print that said that Gerald Hutting could choose if he wanted to give me those terms or not.

“Did he give you any of that?” I shake my head. “Was the contract for local or international coins?” I wish they were international.

“Local.”

“Why’d you take the job?” I keep quiet, knowing I’ll most likely endanger River if I say anything. No one except the people who erased my family knows River exists and I would rather keep it that way. I was mad about it at the beginning but when I came here, I understood why. Humans care for no one and nothing but themselves and having them know about River means I can’t protect the only family I have left. “Rain?”

“You need coins to survive.” I shrug my shoulders. She narrows her eyes at me before nodding.

“Bing, get me a meeting with Gerald Hutting and the Court Marshals in the morning.” She suddenly says and then the voice I heard from the door answers her.

“I’ve set the meeting for 10 a.m. You still have a call with your sister in an hour.” I look around for the voice and she chuckles.

“That’s Bing, he’s my personal assistant.” She answers my unspoken question. “Come on, I’m sure you’re hungry.” She disappears into another room, and I make it two steps in following her when I realize who she set a meeting with. This won’t end well.