Unrest by Marteeka Karland Page B

following Sina’s every move when she went to the other wolf, not sparing Raven a glance. With the master there, he didn’t want to make a scene. That would only cause her more trouble. Instead he simply watched her.
    When she bent to the young wolf’s lower legs, presenting her back to Raven, the healing wounds marring her golden skin stood out starkly. His gaze automatically went to the master. The man met his gaze boldly, as if to ask, “What are you going to do about it?” Raven decided then that, when the shit went down, the master had to die.
    “Sina,” the master said mildly. “See to this one’s body.” He pointed at Raven. “He obviously enjoys your touch.” The master’s gaze was smug, superior as he sneered. “Show him what he will never enjoy again.”
    The tiny cat shifter ducked her head, not meeting Raven’s gaze as she approached him. Meekly, she began to spread oil on his body with the lightest of touches, as if she were afraid to actually come into full contact with his skin.
    All too aware of the master watching him, Raven did nothing, merely stared at the top of Sina’s head. The other woman working on him did her best to shield Sina from the master’s gaze, keeping her movements as routine as possible so as not to attract suspicion.
    Then Raven heard the tiniest voice. “Help me…”
    Neither woman appeared to be looking at him, but he knew it had come from one of them, speaking so low, no one but him could hear. Silently, he waited, knowing any sign of acknowledgement on his part could gain the master’s full attention. Instead, Raven waited until the master turned his gaze to the younger wolf, instructing the cats in something Raven wasn’t paying attention to.
    “Sina?” Raven said, keeping his voice low and inaudible to the master.
    “Please,” she pleaded, looking at him now. Her enormous, dark golden eyes were beseeching. “They bring more tomorrow.”
    “Where are you kept?”
    “In the gentling room.” Raven almost blanched. “As punishment for last time.” The gentling room was where the masters took feral wolves or cats to be “gentled” with sex. By all accounts, there was nothing gentle about the way cats like Sina were treated. None lasted longer than a few months before they were either rabid themselves or dead. By the look in Sina’s eyes, she had lasted as long as she could. And she didn’t look ready to lose herself to insanity.
    “Tonight,” he said. “Be ready.”
    The other cat pulled Sina away before the master returned his attention to Raven, obviously not wanting the man to become suspicious. Raven couldn’t help a quick glance at Brandwulfr, wondering if the older wolf had heard anything, and what, if anything, he would do about it. Brandwulfr merely raised an eyebrow as if to say, “ It’s none of my concern if you wish to get yourself killed .” Likely, he was right. If Raven were caught…
    “Off with all of you! To the auction blocks!” The master cracked the whip in the air, knowing better than to mark their skin before something like this. They wouldn’t bring top dollar if they were freshly marked. Still, the man laughed with glee, as if he enjoyed the humiliation, which he probably did. He seemed to take great delight in poking Brandwulfr in particular. Likely this was the only way he could be seen getting the better of Brandwulfr. Given the way the big man tensed, bunching his fingers into fists, the master was walking a fine line and was too stupid to see it.
    Several moments later, they stood atop the blocks, waiting for the sky dweller women to make their choices. Never had Raven’s heart beat so hard. He was counting on the woman choosing him to be easily pleasured so she’d be sated and sleepy as soon as possible. He had to make it back to the catacombs and Sina tonight. Tomorrow simply wasn’t acceptable. Sina had suffered enough, and he’d be damned if she went through one more night of the hell she’d lived through