Page 12 of Wraith

Chapter Eleven

The tainted staleair of the basement still makes me sick to my stomach. Even with the constant routine of hosing the blood and excretions down the drain out in the hall. I force the faces I see down here to be nothing but passing images. Shadows disappearing in the light. Not once, in the years that I have been here, have I seen the sunlight. Felt its warmth on my skin. Roman gives me more tasks but Sebastian is the one to care for me. He has taught me math and how to read, and other things I rather not learn. “Have you gotten your chores done?” Roman barks out from his office door as I walk by to my room. I pause and stand in the doorway to answerhim.

“Yes, sir,” I tell him bowing myhead.

“Good. Sebastian said you are getting good at your arithmetic, no?” I nod but realize I need to speak when Roman shoots me a scowl ofannoyance.

“Yes,sir.”

“Good. Good. Come in here and take a look at this then. Let’s see how much you know about accounting. Can’t have you cleaning the trenches for the rest of your life.” His words shock me but I keep it to myself as I continue into the office, sitting in the seat he offers as I get closer. He proceeds to show me what he means about accounting and to his surprise, and my own, I’m quite good at it, or so hesays.

It’s maybe an hour or so later when movement in the corner of the room catches my eye. I had been so entranced with the lesson that I had missed the thing crouched in the corner—a girl. Or at least I’m guessing it’s a girl. Long dark hair covers her, almost as if she is using it to hide behind. That is when Roman spots my curiosity. “I see you have noticed my little pet in the corner.” His name choice making me inwardly cringe. Does he use her the same way Sebastian does me if he calls her the same name? The thought causes my teeth to grindtogether.

“I see you took my advice.” Sebastian’s voice comes from the door making me snap my attention from the person in the corner, focusing it on the tall figure looming in thedoorway.

“Yes. And you were right, the boy is quite good. He can start doing the small things. Pay roll and what not,” Roman declares, making Sebastian almost look…proud.

“You hear that, pet? You’re getting a job for your birthday,” Sebastian says with a smile, making my brows crease in the middle as I look up at him inquestion.

“Mybirthday?”

“Yes. You are eighteen now. As an adult, you’ll need an adult job.” Roman’s voice breaks through my amazement. I’m eighteen? At the mention of my age I catch a flash of something across Sebastian’s face but it’s gone before I can determine what itis.

“Right. Well, is he about done for tonight?” I know that tone, what comes when the rasp in his voice becomesthick.

“Yes. We are done. Come here first thing in the morning Esteban. No more cleaning for you. Now go.” And just like that I no longer need to go down to the basement and hose out the cells. With one last look at the hunched over form in the corner, I walk out of Roman’s office. I follow Sebastian, knowing even though I have a new job, I still have to do as he tells me, which by the pace he is walking toward my room will be much more than I may be able to handletonight.

“Clothes off,” Sebastian barks out as soon as the door to my room slams shut. He is over to me in two strides as my pants hit the floor after my tee shirt. Clothes he has bought for me. Ever since the first set of clothes, he has gotten me more, each one fitting me better than the last. But with each article of clothing comes more of him. “Your skin is always so damned smooth, boy.” He hums at my back as he strokes between my shoulder blades. He always starts this way. Soft, teasing, until I’m needing so much from him that I can barely stand it. I feel myself growing hard at his words like I always do. When his hand wraps around me and his other forces me to bend over the bed I know what is about to come. I don’t like this part—never have—but the end result leaves me a panting sated mess. I always submit to him, needing the release that he provides when he gets his, but today—I don’t want to submit. Today, I have the image of the girl cowering in the corner. The girl who is there against her will, being treated like a dog. Probably being treated like me. In that moment, I know that this isn’t something I want. The thought hits me as his thick shaft forces its way inside me for the lasttime.

“No!” I bellow, the word ripping from my throat, I allow myself to feel it and all its meaning. “No!”

“What the fuck?” I hear Sebastian behind me as he continues his quest in assaulting me, but I push back, bringing the back of my head cracking into his face. I feel him slip from me then fall away from my body. When I turn around I find him on the floor, pants around his ankles, his hand clutching at his bloodied nose. “You, little bastard!” he roars, leaping to his feet as he pulls his gun from his boot. My immediate response is to duck. The gun fires and the sound rings in my ears, but I don’t feel any pain when I hit the floor. Sebastian scrambles to pull his pants back on when my door flies open with Roman on the other side, a gun pointed directly at me. “The fucker bloodied me!” Sebastian yells through his hand, trying to hold in the blood pouring from hisnose.

“Of course he did. He’s twice your size and stronger.” Roman huffs lowering his weapon, “I’m surprised he hasn’t done it before now. And you should count your lucky stars I’ve looked away for so long. The boy is an asset now, not your play thing. Find another one. You’re done with him.” Roman storms out of the room leaving me, still naked with a sore ass, and Sebastian with a bloodynose.

“Get out,” I grit between clenched teeth, and just like that he does as I say. Getting to his feet with a scowl on his face, he storms out of my room never to walk back through itagain.

It turned out that my eighteenth birthday was the best day of mylife.

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