I nodded at Zander, my heart squeezed and prepared itself for obliteration.
“Today, you will complete your fourth task,” he said walking around the luggage to stand in front of me, taking my picture of Gwen and handing it off to Jenny.
I watched in horror and astonishment as he kneeled in front of me and continued speaking. “Your task is to find your wings, little bird. Today you are marked as not only my equal, but also equal to every man and woman around you. On top of your luggage you will find the keys to your own apartment. If you choose to leave here, you will leave knowing that just like Gwen you are free from this day until your last.”
He grabbed my hands, as a torrent of emotions washed through me, threatening to cripple me and send me to the ground with him. “I love you Phoenix Marie Cunningham, and I know that my words aren’t enough to make you forgive me, but I hope, your freedom and that of your friends and fellow slaves will prove my love to you. I don’t want you to go, but if you decide to leave, if you walk out of that door today, please understand, I will fight for you every day until the light leaves my body. The auction giveth, but only you can taketh away, little bird.”
A chorus of sobs surrounded me as Claire, Jenny, Mildred and myself cried at his declaration. If Gwen was here, she would probably be cheering for me.
I knelt down in front of him and grabbed his face. “I love you, so much Zander. I don’t want to leave. I only want you.”
Before I knew what was happening, Zander had stood, scooping me off of my feet and carried me up the stairs. Instead of turning left to go to my room, he turned right and headed for his.
“You will never not sleep by my side again, little bird. You are mine,” he growled setting me down on the bed and removing his tie and his shirt.
I reached for the zipper on the side of my dress but Zander lightly batted my hand away.
“Let me undress my woman,” he cooed, sliding my zipper down slowly and pulling the dress down my shoulders, exposing my pert breasts. He grabbed them both in his hands and kissed the scratch on the side of my tit where Nathan had cut me.
With every inch of skin he revealed, he kissed parts of me, but when he got to my navel I stopped him.
“Zander,” I breathed heavily, “I need to tell you something.”
He looked up at me, feral hunger and love shining back at me, and it broke my heart. I had to tell him.
I pulled my dress down exposing the small pink scar just below my belly button. I grabbed his hand and placed his fingers over the spot, turning away from his back and forth gaze between me and the scar.
“When they removed my rib,” I said just above a whisper, “My father had them do something else.”
The tears flowed freely as I told Zander the last secret I had to offer.
“Zander, he--he made me infertile.”
Slowly, the words processed in Zander’s lust filled brain and his eyes widened as his mouth dropped open.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He mumbled.
“I didn’t want you to hate me, “I cried, covering my face with my hands. “How could you love a slave who couldn’t produce you any heirs?”
“Phoenix, listen to me,” he said, grabbing my hands and pulling them away from my eyes. “I don’t love your uterus. I don’t love your womb. I love you. If we don’t have any children, I’m still going to love you. If we have a hundred children, I’m still going to love you. We will find a way to get through this together, because I love you, and you love me. It’s as simple as that.”
I sniffled and nodded my head at him. “I do love you Zander, so much more than I thought was possible,” I said, taking his face in my hands and showing him the depth of my love through a toe curling, soul scorching kiss.
When our lips detached, our breathing ragged, he looked at me, the lust and love returning.
“Good girl,” he whispered. “Now lay back. I’m going to part your thighs and use my tongue to drain all of that chaos from your mind.”
I laid back on the bed, my heart full and my legs wide.
“Yes Master.”
Epilogue-Two Years Later
“It’s another large turnout this year,” I said, gripping Zander’s hand, admiring the masquerade mask he donned.
He nodded at me, surveying the crowd of eligible male and female slaves up for auction.
“It is,” He murmured turning towards me and caressing my swollen belly.
I smiled and thought about all of the changes we had been able to accomplish over the past few years. The auction, now, was not as it was and it would never go back to the ways of the past.
Anyone was allowed to participate in them now, and they were done for charity rather than a literal price tag. It had surprised Zander to know that men as well as women wanted to be slaves, and I continuously had to remind him that not every man was as dominant as he was, not every woman as submissive as me.
Dynamics between a slave and his or her Master were negotiated and could be ended at any time, and if anyone in the community felt that they were in any real danger, our door was always open to them.
Women now held the council positions that had been given up by members who just couldn’t see the direction Zander had for the Faith. Britt had claimed one of those seats as soon as they were available, and she was an incredible asset to our new way of life. The Masters of the former council members were free to stay within the community as long as they abided by the new laws. Their slaves were free to leave them if they wished.
I watched as a woman in a bold red dress joined me up on stage and smiled as she took my hand.
“And how is my granddaughter today,” she cooed, rubbing my large belly.
I laughed. “The same as she was yesterday, mom when you asked me a thousand times.”
“I can’t help it, Phoenix, that little girl already has me wrapped around her tiny little fingers.”
I kissed my mom on the cheek and gripped her hand tightly. A few weeks after the death of my father, Patricia came knocking on my door. My first instinct had been to turn her away, but then I remembered the story my father had told me and I invited her in.
“Phoenix,” she said. “There are things you don’t know about me.”
I stopped her right there and took her hand. “I know, mom. Dad told me. I forgive you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve been terrible to you out of jealousy and out of spite.”
“Mom, look at me,” I said. “Wayne Ainsworth was an evil, manipulative asshole. He preyed on you for your entire life and he did unspeakable things to you to keep you under his thumb. I don’t blame you for the way you treated me. I feel sorry I didn’t kill him sooner and free you from the prison I didn’t even know you were in.”
We both cried and held each other and she left that day vowing that she would make it up to me until the day she died. She came through with her vow several months later when she showed up at my door again with her new slave in tow and news that would forever change my life.
“Phoenix, I would like you to meet my slave, Jeff. He is a surgeon.”
“It’s nice to meet you Jeff,” I said shaking his hand. “Won’t you both come in?”
I watched in awe as Jeff kneeled down to remove my mother’s boots love and worship pouring out of both of their eyes. This was what Zander and I had been working towards.
She instructed Jeff to tell me about a reversal surgery that could be done to my tubal ligation. Because I was under thirty five, my success rate was over seventy percent.
I rubbed my belly and thought about when I spilled the beans to Zander the night after my mom and Jeff left. After he did literal cartwheels in the foyer, he grabbed my face and kissed me hard before calling Jeff and setting up the procedure with my blessing.
It took a few months of trying, but neither Zander or I minded the process one bit, and the day the stick turned pink, announcing my pregnancy, we both fell to the bathroom floor and cried until we couldn’t
cry anymore, and then he tried to put another baby in me.
“I still think we should name her Abigail, after my mother,” Zander came up behind me, throwing his arms around my waist, whispering in my ear.
I turned around to face him and kissed him. “How do you feel about Gwendolyn?” I asked, blushing.
“It’s perfect,” he said. “Gwendolyn Abigail Cunningham.”
“Thank you, Master,” I whispered, a single tear falling from my eye.
“Thank you, little bird, for making me the happiest man on the planet.
The End
Dedication
To Tasha-- Who always pushes me. Pushes me to write better, to be better and to do better. Without you, I truly wouldn’t be where I am today. You are one of the best friends I could ever ask for, and I thank Maggie and Jackson every day for bringing you to me. (But no, there still won’t be a CR2). I flove you.
To Jane-- Throughout this entire book, you’ve had my back and have helped me more than anyone else out there, and for that, I truly thank you. From the bottom of my heart; thank you.
About the Author
Shannon Youngblood is a thirty something, foul mouthed, erotic romance writer, who loves telling a story full of broken pieces, and broken people. There is no subject too graphic, or too taboo, to grace the pages of her stories. Shannon believes that life is not always Happily Ever Afters and Flowers, and sometimes her stories might reflect that. (Non HEA's OH NO!) Shannon loves hearing from her amazing, dirty minded fans as well! Be sure to follow her on her social media sites!
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Just A Man
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Just A Woman
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Just Us
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Chub Rub
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Trapped: Her Love Story
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Influenced: A Good Girl, Bad Boy Love Story
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Mine: A Dirty Short
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The Dirty Dozen
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue-Two Years Later
Dedication
About the Author
Unmasked Page 21