She went to move and panic shot through my body. I reached out and took her hand. She jumped and whipped her head back. I looked up at her, silently begging her not to leave me. I didn’t want to be alone in here again. I couldn’t protect her if she left.

She bent down and cautiously put her hand on my face. “I’ll be right back.” She looked down at my chains and her face looked sad again. “I promise, I’ll be right back.”

The reassuring look on her face convinced me she would return. I released her arm, but my skin shivered as she walked away, then disappeared up some stairs. I breathed in and out, in and out, never moving my eyes from the stairs.

Come back, come back, come back, I said in my head. I didn’t want Master to take her from me. I wanted him to have given her to me.

I heard a door close, and then her feet came down the stairs. As soon as her brown eyes met mine, I exhaled and my shoulders lost tension. But she was watching me strangely. Something was in her hands. I tried to see what it was, but I couldn’t see in this darkness.

Master’s female bent down before me, her long blond hair falling over her shoulder. She swallowed, and said, “I want to release you.”

I frowned. She pointed to my chains. “I want to release you from these chains.”

My stomach tightened and I shook my head. Master did not let me go free. And I didn’t want her to get into trouble. The only time Master released me was to kill.

I froze. Did Master want me to kill?

Did I have to kill now?

The female moved closer. “No one will hurt you, I promise. I just want to get you away from the water so I can comb your hair.” Her hand reached out and, taking my wrist, she slid back the shackle. She flinched, and her voice caught. “I don’t want you to hurt anymore.” Her finger lightly ran over the scars and fresh sores from my chain. “I want to heal your wounds. I want to look after you.”

I looked into her eyes trying to detect deception. I couldn’t see any. Was it true? Was I being released so she could care for me?

No one ever cared for me.

No one ever spoke to me unless it was to give me orders or call me a dog.

No one ever touched me unless it was to bring me pain.

“I promise you won’t be hurt. There’s no more pain here.” I stared into her brown eyes. Trusting those brown eyes, I nodded. She lifted the key to the chains, but then stopped. I looked at her face and she said, “You won’t hurt me, will you? When you’re free, you won’t hurt me?”

I frowned and my stomach felt empty. She feared me. I didn’t want her to fear me.

Edging farther forward, I lifted my hand to her cheek and pressed my palm flat to her warm skin. Her eyes fluttered closed, then opened and met mine. “I can trust you, you won’t attack me, right?”

I nodded my head, then slowly held out my wrists. She took a deep breath. I could see the pulse thumping in her throat. She was still scared. But I wouldn’t hurt her. I … I liked Master’s female.

The female unlocked the chains, and as they released, they clattered to the floor. The female paused as I stared down at my freed hands. I could move them without the pressure. I could move my fingers without feeling pain.

“I’m going to release your ankles now, okay?” the female whispered. I nodded, but still stared at my wrists. I heard the chains from my ankles hit the floor. The female stood up and stepped back.

I looked up, feeling something in my stomach.

The female was watching me. I watched her back, hoping she wasn’t still scared, then she took a deep breath and held out her hand.

I stared at her hand, her tiny fingers, and my heart began beating too fast. I stared at that hand and met her eyes again. “Take my hand,” she said.

Leaning forward, unused to the freedom in my arms and legs, I reached out and put my hand in hers.

Feeling the wetness of the water beneath my feet, I stood and stretched my body. I swayed, feeling strange, weak. The pain, the poison in my blood had calmed. It felt too strange.

The female’s hand squeezed mine and I glanced down to see her watching me. She seemed so small, her head having to tip back to meet my eyes.

She swallowed, her face pale. “Are you okay?” I studied her small hand wrapped around mine, then nodded. She pulled on my hand. “Come over here, out of the water.”

I walked forward, the lightness of my legs without the chains at first difficult to get used to. The female slowly led me to the chair that sat in the middle of the room. She pointed to it. “Sit down and I’ll comb through your hair.”

I stared at the chair, but backed away. Master didn’t allow me to sit anywhere but the floor. Said that I, 221, had to always sit below him.

I sat on the floor and bowed my head. I didn’t want Master to hurt her for my breaking the rules. I wanted to keep her. He would take her away from me if I disobeyed his commands.

The female remained standing, but I could feel her as she stood in front of me, then she bent down. “Can I comb your hair while you’re on the floor?”

I nodded.

She moved across the room and returned holding something in her hand. She kneeled in front of me and said, “This may be a bit painful. Your hair is very matted.”

Something ran through my hair, sometimes getting stuck. It felt spiky. It pulled at my head, but she was gentle. Her touch was like a whisper.

Staring at her stomach, I lifted my hand and ran my fingers down the black clothing covering her top half. Her hand stopped in my hair and she sucked in a breath as my fingers explored.

I wanted to touch her again.

I wanted to feel her warmth.

As if hearing my thoughts, she whispered, “You can touch me again. If you want?”

Lifting my hands, I lay them around her waist and I heard her breathing change. My thumbs traced her hips over her clothing, but I wanted to feel her skin. Wanted to feel her skin against mine.

The female began combing through my hair when I moved my hands down to the bottom of her clothing, and dipping my hands underneath, my palms touched the bare skin of her stomach.

The female jumped and gasped, but she didn’t move away. I stared at her bare stomach. Her skin was so pale, so light, and it was soft, all of her was soft. I’d never felt anyone so soft.

Hearing her breathing turn heavy, I looked up and caught her watching me. Her lips were parted. I gripped her waist tighter and ran my thumbs over her flat stomach.

I stared up at her and dipped my head forward. I wanted her fingers in my hair again. I liked her touching my head. I liked touching her, too. Master never let me see anyone. I was always alone. I liked being with this female more. I didn’t want to be alone anymore.

Hearing her shaky breath, she reached for the spiked object and began running it through my hair. I closed my eyes, tipping my forehead against her stomach. I inhaled the scent of her skin and my cock hardened. She smelled good. Her bare skin smelled too good. As her hands ran through my hair, my nose pressed against her torso and I inhaled again. A low growl left my throat.

Wanting to taste her skin, wanting to taste her, I lifted her clothing further and licked along her stomach.

The female released a breathy moan, and whispered, “Oh, God…” Her hands tightened on my head. She stilled for a moment; so did I. I didn’t want her to push me off. I wanted to stay close. I wanted her to tend to my hair.