Master

by Catherine Taylor

  Radek fell dead to the floor and Jahn stood over him staring, his chest rising and falling. The wild expression melted into an angry satisfaction, before walking back to the entrance. The momentary silence in the crowd rapidly swelled to a deafening roar. As Jahn stepped through the gates, the closest miners pushed back to clear a path, as others pushed forward, reaching out hands to pat the hard shoulders and back, yelling their praises.

  Andrei glanced up to his boss and saw Dmitri herding Lena towards the stairs, a big grin on his face. Relieved, he looked back to watch the approach of the new champion. He was an impressive sight, and made more so by the carnage he’d left behind in the cage. It was one of the most brutal attacks Andrei had ever witnessed, and he couldn’t help feel a little grief for such wasted loss of life.

  His sadness was short lived as he watched Oleysa step from the crowd into Jahn’s path. Others didn’t share his sentiments, and the Ukrainian beauty showed no sorrow over her loss.

  Jahn stopped and stared at her.

  “Congratulations,” she beamed. “I don’t believe anyone here has seen anything quite that spectacular. You’ll be eager to claim your prize.”

  Without even a smile he continued past her to where Andrei was waiting. Oleysa looked surprised but shrugged it off, smiling her confidence.

  Andrei frowned up at Jahn. “I’ve seen that style of fighting in Odessa, but not in Donetsk. They had a tournament there last year. It was quite impressive. Muay Thai I believe they call it.”

  “Do they?” Jahn answered.

  Andrei chuckled at the disinterested reply. “As far as I know, it has only been in Ukraine for five or six years, but you seem to know what you’re doing. Where did you train?”

  “A long way from here.”

  There was no more time for questions as Dmitri barrelled his way through. He peered up at Jahn, a huge grin spreading his fat cheeks. Grabbing his hand, he held it up high, exciting the crowd to more fierce applause and cheers.

  “I have not seen such a thing in all my life.” Dmitri shook his head. “You have taken a title long held by Radek. It is time to claim your spoils.”

  “I’ll take my money and go.” Jahn replied coolly.

  “And a woman.” Dmitri told him firmly. “It is what is done at my fights. Look around. There’s not a woman that wouldn’t bed you right now.”

  Jahn scanned the crowd and saw that many of the women had pushed their way to the front. Oleysa was amongst them, like a diamond among rocks. Her eyes met his, and her smile was confident and beckoning.

  “I can have any woman I choose?”

  “They want to be here, and their men know the price. None would deny you.”

  “In that case,” Jahn turned slowly and began to work his way through the crowd behind him. They parted, looking about curiously to see who his eyes had fallen upon.

  Lena was sitting on the bottom step, rubbing her face and yawning. As silence fell, she looked up, wondering what stupid dramatic turn could bring such quiet. They were all looking at her, but it was the tall, tattooed brute standing half naked before her that was staring the hardest.

  His cold eyes seemed to reach inside her. “I want her.”

  Silence became murmuring, and Lena shrunk against the railing on the stairs, trying to hide her face away, while looking to her father. He looked just as confused and even Andrei had lost his cool exterior.

  “You come here to insult me?” Dmitri reddened with anger. “I allow you to participate in my fights and you affront me with your pathetic attempt at humour?”

  Jahn turned to him. “You said I could have any woman and I’ve chosen in all sincerity. If you want to rescind, then I will accept your refusal and leave.”

  The low buzz of the crowd grew louder. Someone called out. “He wants Lena. Give him Lena.”

  Others angrily took up the chorus. Dmitri stared towards them, bewildered and furious, before glaring back at Jahn.

  “You’re telling me that you want her over any other woman here? Are those eyes of yours blind? Do you even know who she is?”

  “She is a woman attending the fights.”

  “She is my fucking daughter.”

  Someone yelled from the crowd. “That didn’t stop Radek taking one of ours.”

  His words were met with angry agreement from the miners. Dmitri looked frantically from them to Andrei, who was looking distraught. Even the security men hung back, uncertain of what to do.

  Coming up beside Dimitri, Andrei addressed Jahn desperately. “This can’t happen. She’s not a well girl. She’s simple and wouldn’t understand all this. You would have nothing but trouble on your hands.”

  “Are you saying I can’t have her?” Jahn spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear.

  The anger was growing and the commentary was getting more derisive. “All good for the bosses. Are their families more important than ours? They make wealth from our sweat and treat us like dirt. Lenin wouldn’t have stood for such a thing.”

  The last comment incited more anger.

  “Fuck Lenin and Stalin. We are Ukrainian. The Soviet is finished.”

  Some still missed the days before glasnost, when a strict socialist system had kept men under the illusion of equality. With the Soviet Union dissolved, much had changed, but it still seemed that only those in power had benefited. The miners’ lot remained as it always had, hard and miserable. It wasn’t often that one of theirs came out on top.

  Feelings ran deep, and Andrei sensed the stirrings of riot. They were not going to accept refusal at any cost. They wanted their man to have his prize. Pulling Dmitri away he brought his mouth close to his ear.

  “Let him take her or this whole situation is going to explode. There can only be terrible outcomes if you refuse him. Let her go, and I swear I’ll get her back quietly, and deal with that pig.”

  Dmitri breathed in deeply, squaring his shoulders. “The man is a fucking animal. If he fucks her, he’ll probably kill her. If her grandfather should find out what has happened… I don’t have to tell you what we would all be facing.”

  “I’ll get her back before he has a chance to touch her. I’ll arrange things while he is collecting his money.”

  “Don’t let me down in this.” Dmitri forced a smile to his face and strode back to Jahn. “Your request has stunned me, but who am I to deny you?”

  He looked at the crowd. “We are men equal in everything, are we not? This man has fought bravely and with honour. We fathers find it hard to let go of our daughters, but I am proud for my daughter to be chosen by a man who will undoubtedly treat her with honour.”

  “While he impales her on that cock.” The remark remained faceless but received a low murmur of laughter.

  Dmitri had to ignore it. “My daughter is yours.”

  A haunting howl arose from behind them as Lena got to her feet and started backing up the stairs, her face wrought with terror.

  “Go away,” she screamed. “I belong to nobody. I can’t be given away. I’m a person, not a prize.”

  A sober hush gradually fell over the miners as the cost of their demands dawned on them. Some laughed at Lena’s display, but most looked ashamed. They had condemned a young girl to be taken as a whore. Many had known Lena as a little girl.

  One old miner dared to approach Jahn. “There are many willing women here. Maybe you should choose again.”

  “I’ve chosen,” he answered coldly.

  Another miner grabbed the older one angrily. “You let him take her. I lost a son and a daughter to Radek. I want Petrenko to feel what that’s like.”

  An excited murmur and nod of heads went through the crowd. Lena watched her liberty unravel, and she broke down into tears.

  “It wasn’t my fault,” she tried to cry out, but was ignored.

  Only Jahn gave her an indifferent glance, before going to retrieve his clothes.

  Andrei ran up to her and put his hands on her arms. “Lena, listen to me, princess. This is not going to happen, I
swear to you. We are already planning to get you away, but you’re going to have to leave with him.”

  “No,” Lena screamed. “I don’t want to go near him. He’s horrible.”

  “Lena, please. The moment you are away from the building, Gregor will be there to snatch you away, and we will make sure this bastard never bothers you again, but you have to trust me, Lena.”

  A mournful groan escaped her as tears flowed. “I’m scared. I don’t want to go with him.”

  Andrei swallowed hard. “I know, princess, I know and I’m so sorry, but it will be all over before you know it, and I will come back to the restaurant and I will personally make you a cocoa with those lollies you love, and we’ll sit and make jokes about your stepmother and laugh together, and all this will be behind you.”

  Her cries died down to sobbing, and she clutched Greta’s body closer to her. She suddenly fell silent, her mouth and eyes widening in terror. Andrei turned around to see Jahn standing at the bottom of the stairs.

  Lena backed up as Andrei hurried down to him.

  “My friend, it is time to organise your money. You’ve made a fair cache tonight. I hope you have enough pockets.”

  Jahn stared at him. “I want the money rolled over for the next fight. I don’t need it this week, and I’m ready to go home.” He looked past Andrei at Lena. “Come, now.”

  Lena shook her head and turned to run up the stairs. Andrei opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Jahn had rushed passed and reached Lena in three strides. Her escape was halted as he seized her hand. Trying to pull away, he wrenched her closer until his arm was around her, forcing her against his body. She could feel his breath on her face.

  “If you resist, I will pick you up and carry you. It will be humiliating for you, but if that is the way you want it, then so be it. Other than that, you can hold my hand, and walk out of here with some dignity. It’s up to you.”

  Trembling, she stared at him, her thoughts struggling to find a way to escape this nightmare. Nothing came and the only option left was to put her trust in Andrei. Through her sobs she nodded.

  “I’ll walk with you.”

  “Good girl,” he smiled, releasing her and holding out his hand.

  She looked down at the calloused palm and reluctantly reached out her hand. His fingers closed firmly around it.

  “Jahn,” Andrei tried to speak calmly as Lena was led down the stairs. “We need to get signatures, there are details to go over…”

  “Then I will be in touch with you.”

  Dmitri stood watching as Jahn approached, with Lena in tow. He laughed nervously. “Behave yourself, Lena. Show what strong women we have in our family.”

  Her face filled with contempt. “I hate you.”

  He dismissed her comment with a chuckle and looked at Jahn. “Come, we will have a few vodkas and celebrate your victory.”

  “I don’t drink,” Jahn replied. “And we are leaving.”

  Before Dmitri could utter another word, they were walking away, only pausing for Jahn to shake several hands as they passed. Those of the crowd who had not gambled on Jahn followed them out, still satisfied and congratulating him on the fight. The rest of the crowd began to move in to collect their winnings.

  Andrei tried to find his men, pushing his way through dispersing bodies, while trying to avoid Dmitri’s furious face. Somehow his plan had gone askew. He angrily suspected that Jahn had known exactly what he was doing.

  Taking a last glimpse as they reached the wide double doors, he frowned in distress at the sight. Jahn stood well over a foot taller than Lena who was shuffling along next to him. By the shaking of her body he could see that she was still crying. It was a pitiful sight, with her hand held firmly in his, while from the other dangled a headless doll.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Lena managed to ease her crying to sniffing and gulps of air, but the tears refused to stop. Her sideway glances revealed that, for now, he was more interested in the rear-view mirror than in her, but her fears were growing. She was sure Andrei hadn’t counted on this brute possessing a car. No one had found keys on him that might have alerted them. Jahn had hidden them under the wheel arch.

  She heard him curse, and turning back she could see the lights of a car behind them. Andrei had promised that he would get her out. As soon as the car stopped, his men would be upon him, long before he could put his hands on her. Though she appalled violence, it was almost acceptable that Gregor would teach this arrogant bastard a savage lesson.

  She startled as she heard him speaking to her.

  “In a minute, I’m about to lose your friends behind us. You would be wise to brace yourself.”

  This was not what she wanted to hear, but as the car suddenly sped up, she had no choice but to hold on. Without warning, they were turning a corner at a speed which flung her body into the door. Lena grabbed the dash, just before the car turned again, flinging her against her captor.

  For the next few minutes she had to dig her fingers into the seat and brace her legs on the floor, as her body continued to be tossed from side to side. The roller coaster ride ended with a slam of brakes and Jahn pinning his arm across her chest, stopping her head from crashing into the dash.

  Lena opened her mouth wide with a silent scream. The car reversed sharply into a narrow alley and stopped. The engine and lights were switched off and they were plunged into darkness. She could see the street that they had left, but they were too far back for any light to be shed on them.

  A hand went over her mouth and Jahn held her tightly as he quietly warned her, “Not one sound.”

  Trembling and trying to breathe, Lena watched wide-eyed as, moments later, a car went speeding past in front of them. He continued to hold her for several minutes, only his breath penetrating the silence, until he was finally satisfied.

  She was released but gripped by a terrible realisation. All avenue of escape was gone, and she was alone with a man who only wanted her for one possible reason. Lena broke down into wracking sobs that were caught up in the starting motor.

  Long into the drive her bawling subsided into sniffles. Jahn pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to her, but she had heard his quiet curses of her display. In defiance, she ignored him, wiping her face on her sleeve. His glance of disgust was quite satisfying.

  Keeping her head turned away, Lena looked out the frosty window at the dismal street they were on. In the darkness she could make out the large rectangular buildings, all identical to one another, and only an occasional dim light emanating through the gloom. It looked as welcoming as a cemetery.

  Her exhaustion had brought resignation to her plight. She didn’t expect to survive the night and hopefully death would not be drawn out in agony. There was already more pain than she could bear. Her body ached from the rough ride and her head was pounding from all her crying. She longed to remove her coat as her body heated in its thickness, sweating and itching, but at the moment it was a barrier between him and her. Under it, Greta was tucked securely between her breasts and hidden from his view.

  Her terror renewed as the car swung into a road between buildings, driving behind it and parking in an empty car lot. The engine was switched off, and the darkness and silence sent the adrenaline running though her veins. She heard his door open and shut and watched him walk around to her door.

  Quickly she depressed the door lock and looked over at the other doors to see if she could lock those as well. It was only as she saw the keys dangling from his hand, did she realize how stupid that plan had been.

  The door was opened and her hand was grasped. For a moment she resisted, holding her arm tight against herself, not daring to look at him.

  Jahn bent down. “Look at me.”

  The husky, masculine voice made her tremble, but slowly she turned her head, gasping as she saw his face so close to hers.

  He spoke quietly. “You need sleep and so do I. The bed will be yours alone tonight, and I will not come near you. You have my word. What you w
ill not do is remain in this car.”

  It was a ploy to get her out quietly, but there was little to do but comply. The last thing she needed was to anger him. She allowed him to help her out, her hand remaining in his.

  The building was dark, but a stairwell was lit by a single bulb on the first landing. Graffiti marked all the walls and the steps were thin concrete blocks. Each floor she hoped was the last, as she puffed to breathe and felt the sweat drenching her body. Jahn quietly waited each time she stopped to catch her breath, which was often.

  By the third floor, she could go no further and stopped halfway, dropping down to sit on the steps. Jahn was a few steps below her and didn’t look happy about the stop. Tears rolling down her face, she whimpered, “I can’t. I feel too sick.”

  Her eyes closed, she heard his deep sigh and was suddenly terrified to feel his body press against her and his arm going around her. She screamed as her body was hoisted up onto his shoulder, and she punched and kicked at him.

  “Put me down, put me down.”

  His answer was two hard slaps to her rump, the sting penetrating her layers of thick material.

  “Settle down,” he demanded harshly. “Kick me again, and I’ll give you a fucking hiding.”

  The threat and smacks were enough to stop her attack. She lay still, watching the steps behind her, the height intimidating her as they reached each landing. An accident now would probably end things quickly.

  Greta was sliding about inside her coat. With one hand clutching on to him, Lena adjusted the doll’s body and clung to her tightly. The head remained secured in her pocket.

  The climb was slow and steady as he made his way up three more flights. It was hard not to be impressed by his strength. Lena couldn’t remember the last time anyone had carried her. With any luck, he might break his back and be unable to molest her.