“Human. Sit,” the snake woman said from behind me.
I bit my bottom lip. It didn’t seem like a suggestion.
The orc grunted, and I avoided his glare as I dropped into the too big chair.
“As you can see, I own you now.” My tongue stuck to the top of my mouth. “What is your name?”
The knot in my throat grew.
“Calm yourself. It’s not as bad as you may think.” The corners of her lips stretched, and her sharp teeth flashed. I may throw up. “I understand you may be shocked speaking with me, so I will have one of my girls explain things to you.” She looked over at the orc. “Take her to Issa.”
The orc tipped his head and waved me ahead of him. He wasn’t going to manhandle me?
He grunted, and I scampered ahead of him. Amazingly enough, he held the door open as I walked through and waved a finger toward the only other door in the hall.
There was nothing I could do. I couldn’t overpower them, outrun them, nothing. Monsters surrounded me, and the only thing to do was go with it until I found a way to escape—unless I wanted to die.
As soon as the door swung open, a flare of grunting, talking, and hissing sounded. Torch lamps lined the furthest wall from my vantage, which created a softly lit ambiance.
Booths and tables scattered throughout the space, all facing a wide black platform where a human woman danced seductively. She dipped with a twist of her hips and transitioned to the ground in a crawl.
Monsters crowed, some even standing as they hooted, grunted, or whatever noises they made.
The orc was already a few feet away from me, and I scrambled after him. The circular pattern of the floor led to tile. Machines with multiple numbers and shapes lined the walls and the unlit sign above a bar read “Casino.”
“Issa,” the orc said in a booming voice. A human woman in a short skirt and a bralette turned around, balancing a serving tray. Her gaze trailed over me, and awareness flickered through them. She grinned and nodded at the orc. She slid the empty tray on the bar top and flounced over, her skirt flaring around her.
She hooked her arm through mine and tugged me after her. She was much stronger than I’d anticipated with how petite she was.
“W-wait,” I huffed, but she pulled me along, rushing through the booths and guiding me toward the side of the stage. A couple crossed in front of us, and a woman and a minotaur cuddled while fondling one another.
They disappeared behind a wall as Issa led me through a room with a variety of clothing hanging over a rack, and vanities in a row. This was the most clothing I had seen in my life. Her fingers squeezed my wrist, and I avoided smacking into a girl fluffing her hair.
“I put my robe in the storage so it didn’t get mixed up with the dancer’s stuff. They get pissy if you get in their way.” Issa made a face. “Here we are.”
She flounced into a decent-sized closet and plucked a robe off the hanger.
“How is all of this possible ...? Why is all of this ...?”
“Shocking seeing it all, I know, but most of the monsters won’t hurt you now that you’re claimed.”
“Claimed?” A metaphorical fist wrapped around my throat. “I don’t want to be claimed.” The only one I wanted claiming me was Tene. Stupid, useless hope.
“You will not survive without being owned.” She said it so succinctly, leaving me speechless. It was obvious ... but, shit.
My heart sped up, and I pressed my palm to my chest.
“I can’t breathe.”
“Oh no,” Issa murmured, and she scampered around me and forced me into a chair. “Put your head between your legs.”
I didn’t have too much going on in my head other than panic to not listen to the order. I bowed forward, and my nose bumped into my knee. I focused on breathing.
My life had shifted so much in a short amount of time and hadn’t stopped changing.
“It’s really not that bad,” she murmured. “Especially being here and owned by Nikita. She’s fair and doesn’t force you to do anything you don’t want.” I scoffed, rubbing my cheek against the skirt of my dress. I finally got the pressure to ebb, then pressed my elbows to my thighs, looking up at her.
“Monsters ... how are they like this? Aren’t they supposed to be wild creatures?”
