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.