Page 29 of Servitude to Serpents

Why is he whispering if he has permission?

Because he doesn’t.

I squirm, a sob clogging my throat as I try to grasp anything I can to pull away.

Blinding pain bursts against the back of my head as I’m struck from above, his fist following up again for good measure. “Be fucking still.”

The back of my head pounds in tune with my heartbeat as my chain rustles underneath me, my brain scrambling to catch up.

“Chloe, my arms are tired.” I can hear the panic in her voice, but I keep swimming against the waves, coughing and sputtering.

“We’re almost there. Hang on.”

Panic needles my chest, tears welling in my eyes as I blink away the seawater, trying to keep an eye on the shoreline. I didn’t mean to go this far out, I swear. I didn’t notice.

“Chloe—"

Renee’s words are cut off in a garble as she slips. My straining lungs spasm as I dive under the water, wrapping my arm around her waist, the other anchored to the float as I help bring her back above water. She comes up sputtering, fear clear in my sister’s eyes. “Just hang on!” I cough out.

“I-I can’t, Chloe. I want Mom! I’m scared!”

His cock enters me with that familiar, deep-seated burn, forcing something somewhere it wasn’t meant to go as Renee loses her grip on the float again.

“Master…” I cry out. My barely healing wounds from the party rip open, breeding a pain so pungent, it makes my dinner curdle in my gut.

I’m bad.

I’m going to get in trouble.

I’m sorry.

I’m so sorry.

“I’m sorry!” I sob, seconds before the sound of a jaded voice stops the violent thrusts.

“See yourself back to your room, Wilhelm.”

I choke on my spit as the saltwater laps at my face. Suddenly, the cock ceases its jarring intrusion, as if it was jerked out. I spin on my back, scrambling against the wall as I pant. Stuart has the man by the collar of his dress shirt, a handgunpressed against the back of his skull. “You will say nothing of this to her master, or I’ll ensure your wife receives a baby shower gift the family will never forget.”

The man sobers, stilling. “Yes, Viper.”

Viper.

What was it he called master earlier?

“Basilisk would do far worse than me,” Stuart warns before letting the man go.

Basilisk. That’s fitting.

As soon as the man is out of sight, the gun is turned toward me. I yelp, panic taking over. He doesn’t react, watching me scramble my feet to run before being jerked back again by the chain. He doesn’t falter. “That silence extends to you. Everyone passed out hours ago. This never happened.”

My chest constricts fear beating down on me. All I can manage is a shaky nod.

Stuart leaves, only to return with warm rags and a small bowl of soapy water, turning away while he instructs me to clean the blood from my bottom. I make quick work of it, opting to clean my face in the bowl first. He says nothing more, and soon enough, I’m left again in the dark, my silent sobs filling the landing as I stare at the stained-glass windows. Not even the moonlight provides me an ounce of comfort anymore. I never liked the dark, so I shut my eyes, that hollow fear following me to my dreams where saltwater laps at my face.

Chapter thirteen

To own is to… Signify

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