by Jena Cryer
She blinked. She had no idea how much his lordship valued her life, but from the tone of his voice, he seemed to think more highly of it than she did.
Only because he doesn’t know me so well.
The realization of her own inferiority stung so badly she had to lower her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I was stupid today, and I…I…”
Before she could finish, his lordship tightened his grip on her chin.
“Don’t,” he all but growled. “Don’t you ever dare apologize for today.”
His lips descended on hers before she knew what was happening. Her eyes widened. The kiss was strong, commanding, but also…tender. He clutched her to him like a drowning man clinging to a life raft. His mouth devoured her own, and she struggled to understand the passion behind his embrace.
This wasn’t how a master treated his slave, it couldn’t be. Matthew had never shown her this level of naked emotion. After they’d become engaged, he’d never again even shown her he cared.
When his lordship broke away, both of them were breathless. Julia’s heart pounded as he lay her down amongst the hay and gently swept the hair out of her eyes.
“My Jewel, I…”
His lordship’s voice broke. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.
“Sleep,” he commanded. “I’ll expect you well-rested for tomorrow’s milking. You only have four more days to your contract, after all, and I intend to make the most of them.”
He left before she could even reply.
As if he’d want me to.
She was his cow, his property—at least until her contract ran out. She was nothing more than a fool if she thought she could be anything more than that, but still, it was sometimes nice to dream.
She closed her eyes.
Sleep came more quickly than she would have ever dared hope. Though any sane woman would have had nightmares over her run with the bulls, her dreams were sweet and hopeful. His lordship was with her. She was his and he was hers and everything was as it should be.
Or at least, how she wanted to it to be.
And perhaps that in itself was the nightmare.
Part Four: A Royal Gangbang
Julia’s muscles ached, but in a good way.
When she’d awoken, his lordship had been the first thing she’d seen. He stood above her naked body and regarded her silently as she stretched her limbs and climbed to her knees.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
She almost said “yes,” but her ladyship was standing behind him. A cane-length cattle prod hung from the woman’s left hand, and Julia knew better than to give Lady Sybil any just cause to use it.
So instead of speaking, she crawled up to his lordship and leaned back to show him her breasts. “Moo.”
He chuckled. “And to think I was worried last night’s activities might have left you permanently traumatized.”
He brushed his knuckles across the edge of Julia’s cheek, and she leaned into his touch. Traumatized? She might have snorted if she wasn’t aware of how distinctly un-cowlike the action would be. She’d been through far worse than a gangbang with three near-inhuman bulls. Why, she could list a hundred much more horrible things Matthew had done to her, and if she’d stuck around her fiancé much longer, she could only imagine what kind of creature he would have turned her into.
And what about his lordship? He wants you to be his permanent cow. How is that any better than what Matthew did?
She clenched her jaw. She knew it wasn’t logical to run away from one monster, yet feel so comfortable with the next, but she couldn’t explain it. Lord Ashe was different. He dominated her—he dominated everyone, it seemed—but whereas Matthew had been cruel and callous, his lordship took care of her. He protected her. Even though she knew she was nothing but property to him, she had a deep-seated certainty that he would do anything to keep her safe.
At least until her contract ran out.
“We really are running short on time, brother,” Lady Sybil said. “The others will be arriving shortly.”
His lordship sighed. “I still think our Jewel could use another day’s rest. If our guests should pick her...”
“Then she’ll have another night’s worth of entertainment.” Lady Sybil put a hand on her brother’s arm. “Come, James, you know the duke expects to be given the freedom to choose from the entire herd. We can’t keep her separated. And besides, what are the odds he’ll even choose this one? I seem to remember he has quite the fondness for blondes.”
His lordship sighed. Julia had no idea what the pair were discussing, but from the frown on her lord’s face, she doubted it was anything good.
He bent forward to clip the rope to her collar. He cupped her chin in one hand even as his eyes traveled down to her chest. When Julia followed his gaze she was amazed to see her breasts looked even bigger than they had the night before.
A single white bead clung to the tip of her left nipple. His lordship bent forward to lick it away, and a shiver rippled through her body.
“Mark my words sister,” he said almost regretfully. “When it comes time to make a decision, they’ll choose her. How could anyone not?”
His lips wrapped around her teat once more, and sparks danced behind her eyelids. She moaned softly. Her breaths grew deeper by the second as moisture coated her cunt and fresh beads of milk leaked from her neglected breast.
She wondered if he might take her for himself then and there, or if perhaps Lady Sybil would join in as she had before, but her ladyship was already leaving and when his lordship pulled away, he merely straightened his back and pulled at her rope.
“Come, cow,” he said. “Time to join the rest of your herd in the paddock. Your duty awaits.”
She had no idea what duty he meant, but she obeyed nonetheless. Her breasts swayed beneath her as she followed his lordship down the hall, past the milking room, and all the way out to the paddock. Across the grounds, the rest of her herd grazed lazily. Their udders, just as painfully swollen as her own, leaked tiny trails of milk as they feasted on the grass beneath them.
We don’t get a morning milking? But why?
Her confusion was further amplified when one of his lordship’s servants ran up to the front gate, breathless.
“My lord, the guests, they’re here.”
His lordship nodded stiffly. “Show them over, Brisbee. Better to get this done with sooner rather than later.”
While Brisbee hurried off to do his lordship’s bidding, Lord Ashe knelt beside Julia and unhooked her rope.
“Keep your head down and try to keep to the center of the herd,” he whispered into her ear. “If anyone comes near you, pretend not to notice.”
She nodded quickly. She wanted to ask more, but already voices were drifting towards them from the other side of the barn.
His lordship kissed the top of her head quickly. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. Even if they do choose you, you’ll…you’ll still be fine.”
Her brow furrowed.
Why is he so worried?
Before she could even move, his lordship sprang away from her. He crossed the paddock to the front gate and exchanged greetings with the growing entourage of finely dressed men and women converging at the edge of the fence.
His people, she thought. Lords and ladies all of them.
She stared at the smiling women with their designer dresses and perfectly made-up faces. What she wouldn’t have given to be like them, to be beautiful and strong and important enough to command his lordship’s undivided attention, to be worthy of his…
Love?
The notion was too crazy to bear thinking, yet she couldn’t force it from her mind. How could she even think about loving his lordship? And even more ridiculous, how could she ever expect him to love her?
Across the yard, a young woman in red sidled up beside Lord Ashe. The cut of her dress highlighted her slim waist and long legs. Her breasts, though not nearly the size of Julia’s, were full eno
ugh to be considered a C-cup at least, and her face…
Julia’s heart broke just looking at the woman’s face. The lady looked as if she’d been carved by a master craftsman. High cheekbones, full lips, and heavily-lashed eyes stared up at his lordship in rapt attention. While Lord Ashe didn’t exactly swoon over the woman beside him, he didn’t push her away either.
And why would he? She’s a woman, just the kind he deserves, and I’m…
She didn’t want to admit she was an animal, but even if she didn’t, she knew it wouldn’t be any less true.
His lordship opened the gate, and Farthington Hall’s newest guests poured through.
Julia hurried over to her herd. Her shoulders grazed against naked hips and thighs as she pressed her way through the throng of lactating women, all the way to the center where her favorite fellow cow, Charity, knelt grazing upon a sprig of clover.
“Moo,” Charity said when Julia eased up beside her, but Julia was far too concerned about Lord Ashe’s newest guests to worry about offering any greeting of her own.
“So, James, just what fine delicacies do you have waiting for us this year?”
Julia couldn’t help but look up when she heard a deep, baritone voice address his lordship. The man it belonged to wasn’t quite as tall as Lord Ashe, but his presence alone made up for any deficit in his height. He was slim with light brown hair, gray eyes, and a slightly hooked nose that, rather than detracting from his features, gave his face an almost noble, aristocratic air.
For the first time in days, Julia felt ashamed of her nakedness.
“I’m sure we can find something to suit even the Duke of Mooreshead’s finer tastes. Of course, if the cows won’t do, my sister has a few bulls I’d be delighted to show you instead.”
The duke laughed. “I might like a bit of variety, but I’m afraid my tastes haven’t changed that much, James.”
His lordship’s lips curled into a smile when the duke patted him on the back.
“No,” the duke said. “I believe we’d all prefer the company of one of these lovely ladies. The only problem is which one to choose.”
The duke knelt beside a blonde that had thrust her breasts against his leg. She mooed while he tugged at her bulging nipples, and Julia felt the wetness already running down her inside leg.
Maybe she really did deserve to be a cow. She obviously wasn’t human enough to control her own urges.
“Not that one, Thomas” the lady in red said. “Just listen to those moans. You’d think the creature was giving birth instead of being fondled.”
Lord Ashe’s back stiffened. “Woman, Melissa.”
The lady in red raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Just because she is a cow doesn’t mean she’s a creature,” his lordship said. “That is a woman, and I’ll not have you forget it.”
Melissa rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh, James, if I didn’t know better I might almost think you’ve grown too attached to your stock. They are just cows, after all. That’s what they wanted to be, and that’s what we’ve made them, so I see no reason not to treat them as such.”
“Just because a cow’s nature leads her to submit doesn’t mean she should be regarded with any less value than any other woman.”
“Quite right,” the duke said. “Anyone could dominate and demean these women, but then all to be gained would be a dozen or so shivering and broken slaves. I’ve seen other farms filled with just that, but not at Farthington Hall.”
“No,” his lordship said. “Never at Farthington.”
“Never?” Melissa batted her eyes. “But what about that one cow you seemed so fond of? What was her name? Bea? Bella?”
Lord Ashe’s voice was flat. “Belle.”
“Yes.” Melissa smiled. “Belle. You know, I never did understand why you didn’t make more cows like her. She seemed so well trained.”
Even from several yards away, Julia could see the tendons standing out against Lord Ashe’s neck as he took a deep breath and walked away without saying another word.
The duke cleared his throat.
“Ladies, gentlemen, I believe we have work to do. Lord Ashe has given us the honor of selecting one cow from his herd, and I, for one, don’t intend to choose anything short of the best.”
A quick surge of applause burst up from the entourage, and then a whole host of lords and ladies descended upon the herd. A woman in pink chiffon bent over the red head several feet to her left while two men in matching gray suits measured Charity’s hips before discussing the merits her high production versus her known lack of endurance.
Julia tried to keep her head down, but all around her, the rest of her herd was being poked and prodded by some of the most finely dressed molesters she’d ever seen.
His lordship must be crazy to think they’d actually choose me. Any one of these other women has to be at least a thousand times better.
She should have felt comforted by the fact that her odds of being chosen for…whatever it was these people had in mind was so small it didn’t even bear thinking, but oddly enough, she wasn’t.
You want to know you’re the best. No matter what these people have planned, you’d rather endure their torture than have his lordship realize you aren’t nearly as perfect as he thinks you are. And why? Because deep down you secretly think he might come in and sweep you off your feet just like one of those princes in all those Disney movies you grew up watching.
Tears touched her eyes.
Somehow she didn’t think the next Disney princess would be a naked woman who mooed like a cow and yearned for her true love to one day pop in and give her a good milking.
Matthew was so right. She really was an idiot at heart.
Julia was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the man gazing down at her until his shadow fell across her eyes. She looked up without thinking. Above her, the duke regarded her with an almost curious stare.
“And what of this one?” he asked Lord Ashe. “I don’t believe I’ve seen her before.”
His lordship cleared his throat. “Her name is Jewel. This is only her fourth day.”
“And already she fits into the herd so well. You truly do have the touch when it comes to training these girls.”
“If you pick the right stock, they practically train themselves.”
Julia didn’t know whether she should take the remark as an insult or not. Either way, she wished the two would stop talking about her so openly, but like every other wish she’d made in her life, this one didn’t come true either.
“You certainly seem to have chosen a fine one in this cow.” The duke knelt beside Julia and lifted one of her breasts in his hand. “Amazing size for one so newly induced. You mean to say she only received the Laculin four days ago.”
“Give or take a few hours,” his lordship replied.
“Amazing.”
The duke kneaded her swollen nipple, and despite her trepidation, Julia moaned. She tried to remember his lordship’s warning. She needed to keep her head down, but how could she when this man was tormenting her with the pleasure of his touch?
A shiver rippled through her. A gasp bubbled up from her throat. The duke gave her nipple a hard, quick tug, and warm milk shot across the grass in front of her. Without thinking, Julia licked it off each blade before even a drop could reach the dirt.
“Absolutely amazing,” the duke said. “Excellent production, especially for one so new.”
He squeezed her nipple once more. Milk splashed across his fingers, and he raised one to his mouth for a quick taste.
“And a fantastic flavor. You truly lucked up with this one, James. Tell me, are you planning to put her on auction, or is she to be part of your sister’s new breeding program?”
Julia’s heart fluttered. Breeding program?
“Neither,” his lordship said. “Her contract ends in three days. If she chooses to leave, her freedom will be her own, but if she chooses to stay I see no point in taking her away from the h
erd.”
The duke shook his head. “And you would allow a prize like this to walk right out of your grasp?”
“If she so chooses, yes,” Lord Ashe said. “I won’t force any woman into my service who doesn’t wish to stay.”
Melissa strode up to his lordship’s side and chuckled. “Oh, James, I always do find your moral stances amusing. It’s a wonder that stubborn nature of yours allows you to get anything done.”
Lord Ashe’s lips tightened. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Melissa, but Farthington Hall is the top human dairy in all of Europe, is it not?”
She looked away. “Bragging now, are we? Really, James, that’s quite unbecoming.”
“And if I remember correctly,” his lordship continued. “Your father’s herd hasn’t made it to the top ten in nearly a decade.”
“Only because your people manage to acquire all the best stock before we ever have a chance to get our hands on them.”
“Before you can kidnap them you mean.”
Melissa waved a hand in the air dismissively. “It’s what we all do, James. After a bit of training, any cow can learn its place. Some even grow to enjoy their fate.”
“That’s not how I operate,” his lordship said. “And that’s why Farthington Hall will always outperform Havon Abbey.”
“Oh, James, now you really are bragging.” Melissa batted her eyes before slipping a hand around his arm once more. “But enough of all this business talk, the auction doesn’t start until tomorrow. Today is all about fun. Isn’t that right, Thomas?”
The duke nodded. “Quite right, Melissa. And to have that fun, we need entertainment, and I do believe I’ve just found the cow lucky enough to be chosen for tonight’s festivities. What do you say, James. Do you think your little Jewel is up to the task?”
His lordship turned towards Julia. She met his stony gaze and held it unflinchingly.
Whatever you think is best, she found herself wanting to say, and once more she cursed herself.
A willing victim, that’s all you are. If this is what you want, you might as well have just stayed in America and let Matthew have his way with you.
Still, she couldn’t deny her feelings. She’d been trying to do that for far too long now, and the results were even more confusing than the fucked up life she’d recently had forced upon her.