Slave

Chapter 16
Another Rude Awakening

The next morning, dawn never came. Thick gray rain clouds hid the sun, and there was a hint of thunder in the air. Cassandra groaned in pain over a small rumble of thunder. Jon shifted himself off her a little, still exhausted from the night before. Someone knocked on the door that moment. Cursing, Jon unlocked it and rested back on Cassandra. A woman opened the door and gasped out loud at what she saw.
"WHAT?!"
Jon shouted, waking Cassandra up. The woman was horrified.
"What have you done to that poor child?" she cried.
Cassandra groaned again as tears welled up in her tired eyes. Jon stood up with a grunt and got his robes.
"I just made sure she fully belongs to me."
The woman ran to Cassandra and wrapped her in the sheets.
"How could you do this to her? She's only a baby!" she shrieked angrily.
"She's my baby now," Jon corrected.
The woman looked down at Cassie and stroked her bruised cheek.
"Did you need me for something?" he asked impatiently.
"Oh. One of your employees needs to speak with you," she muttered absentmindedly.
"Very well. Keep her in here until I get back," he said, and he left.
The woman waited until he left the hall before running Cassie to the nearest restroom. She filled a basin with warm water and got a towel. Cassandra rested on a padded section of the floor while the lady quickly placed the wet towel on her face and limbs.
"You poor thing," she murmured gently.
Cassie came to as the cloth touched her face. Then tears streamed out of her eyes. "I can't- he—he—”
"Shh. Calm down, little one," the lady consoled her.
Cassandra sat up as best she could when something caught her eye. She looked at her left arm, and her eyes grew wide with horror. Her arm betrayed a strange mark with the words Property of Jon written below it. Now her tears gushed out, and she broke into racking sobs.
"OOOOH! NOOOO!"
The lady quickly pulled her into her bosom and held her close.
"I'm so, so sorry, little one, I really am," she whispered.
Cassandra kept sobbing into the lady's shoulder while someone knocked at the door. Jon threw the door open, making Cassie scream.
"I told you to keep her in my room!" he bellowed.
The woman froze. "I- I was just-"
He reached over and slapped her across the face. While she winced in pain, Jon scooped Cassandra into his arms and carried her down to the main room where he sat her down. She kept her face turned away in horror.
"Look at me, damn it," he cursed as he managed to force her to face him.
When their eyes met, he leaned in and kissed her eyelids gently.
"My love, as much as I don't want to do this, I have to go away for a couple hours," he purred.
His lips moved softly against her eyes.
"Will you be a good girl and wait for me?" he whispered.
She nodded urgently. 'I can't say no. He'll just hurt me again,' she thought.
"That's my angel," he cooed, and he leaned in for a long, passionate, and wet kiss. "I'll be back in a couple hours, baby," he said longingly.
She remained seated until he left. Cassandra ran upstairs to try and find that lady from before. She found her in the same restroom.
"Ma'am?" she squeaked.
The lady looked up at her and took her into her arms.
"Are you ready now?" she asked.
Cassandra nodded, and the lady began to run the warm cloth over her body again.
"How could you let him do this to you?" she asked.
"He forced himself on me. I was defenseless."
"Considering how small you are, I can't say I'm surprised. I just don't see how he can look at a little girl like you and ruin her this way," the lady said.
Tears streamed back out of Cassie’s eyes once more.
"Are you alright?" the lady asked upon seeing the tears.
"No," Cassandra cried softly. "I miss my master. My real master."
She fell to the floor in sobs as she remembered how Seth used to hold her so lovingly in his arms every evening. She could just see his gentle eyes, all a stormy gray, and his smile. The thought made her heart burn in anguish. She screamed as she felt Seth child kick her hard in the gut. The woman looked at her in shock and then realization hit her.