Chapter Seven
I was in pain, again, I was no longer chained up, but I was still naked. Instead of being on the bed, I was on the cold tile floor. I could hear someone else breathing in the room so I lifted my head slowly only to be greeted by a kick to my jaw, I coward on the floor and glanced
up at Hunter. He glared at me. "Did you give me everything that pard gave you?"
"I gave you all-all I was we-wearing," It was not a lie, I gave him everything that I had been physically wearing, but he pulled me off the floor by my black hair.
"But not the pendant," he held it up in front of my face. The light caught the silver part, just right that it almost made me smile, "You do not belong to their pard Kry." He threw me and I skidded across the floor.

I knew I was in trouble again, but this time it would be a simple beating, maybe no dinner, had I gotten to keep the pendant it would have been worth it. "I-I was welcomed there." I flinched as he stepped forward.
"You are welcomed nowhere." His boot connected with my back, I yelped in pain as it hit still healing wound from my run in with the panther.

"Th-then-then kill me." I stared up at him, my eyes pleading for him to end my pain and my fear.
He laughed, "You're too valuable to kill," He kicked me in the stomach, I doubled over in pain. He used his hand on my head to keep me that way, my head was almost against the ground and my back was arched, "You want a crest Krysty? Then you will bare ours." I felt the sliver dagger slice a wavy line with a half circle in to my back. I cried out in pain, he shoved me forward, "There are clothes on your bed, along with a list of your chores." I could feel the blood trickle down my back as I slowly started to sit up straight.
I sighed, "Yes sir," he left as I started to stand. I was sore and beaten as I walked it became apparent that I was barely strong enough to make it to the bunk room. I made it to the bunk room, sat on my bed and started to get dressed. My movements were slow and cautious. If I moved too fast I was going to make my newly acquired carvings bleed more.
"Looks like the Rati came home, about time." Jessie came in, strutted in dragging his oversize ego with him.
"Hello Jessie. So glad to see you still live in the Pard house you just turned what? Twenty Two?" I let the sarcasm drip in my voice.

"Yes but why move somewhere that I have to pay when here all I have to do is a few chores not to mention the free porn." He motioned to my half naked body.
I shook my head and slid on my shirt on then, trying my best to ignored Jessie, glanced over my list of chores:
Dishes
Floors: solitary room, kitchen, bathrooms and bunk room
Laundry-all of it
Dinner duties.
My entire body sighed since I knew chores would take all day and part of the night. I stood and put my shorts on and walked passed Jessie. I went to throw a load of laundry in, I opened the door and there was a mountain as tall as the washer and about three times as thick. I silently cursed at the pard as I separated to mountain into hills of similar colors. When all of it was sorted I threw a load in, then went to wash the floors.

I was on my hands and knees scrubbing at a mud spot when I felt a foot hit my side and a 

body tumbled over me. I looked over at who had fallen, shit, a dominate. Even though I knew that it was probably intentional I scrambled to my knees and took his hand, but he ripped it away and back handed me. I knew there was a red spot on my cheek blossoming and a small amount of blood coming out of my, now, split lip, "Krysty!" His voice was almost painfully low.
I looked up, "Yes sir?" my voice soft since I didn't want to upset him again.
He laughed and used his hand to tilt my head up, I closed my eyes waiting for him to hit me again, "You got blood on the floor and on your pretty face."
The laugh has surprised me, but as I went to wipe my face, I was surprised again when he hit my hand away and licked the blood and then forcefully kissed me deeply. I bit his tongue and he threw me away, "Stupid ungrateful bitch!" I coward away from him realizing my mistake and I scurried away as he came advanced. He bent down next to me, and whispered "You're lucky I don't have the time to deal with you or you'd pay for that."

By dinner time, the dishes had been done along with the floors and some laundry. I walked into the kitchen exhausted.
"Look who finally showed up," Tara looked at me, "How was your short lived vacation?" Tara was a submissive, but she had a dominate for a mate, which saved her from being a gift and being treated like shit, she was nice but I had never given her my complete trust.

"Wonderful, I went to a water park, almost drowned, went to a prom, got kidnapped and almost killed. But the Pard was a hell of a lot better than this one, they aren't cruel or merciless when it comes to stupid mistakes, and it's actually ran by a true Varutri and Varutra." I sighed and started chopping up vegetables. I already missed everyone from the Dark Moon Pard.
"Krysty if anyone hears you talk like that.."
I cut her off, "I'll be beaten maimed, tortured, humiliated, starved, or all the above, I know." My voice was starting to sound bitter and my slicing became swifter and angry.

She laughed, "So brave now are we?"

I shrugged as I put the salad together, "I guess, maybe it's from my vacation, maybe I actually learned not to be submissive."

She shook her head, "Kry that will get you hurt, fatally hurt." I took the salad out to the large banquet table, enough chairs for twenty people, and then walked back into the kitchen where Tara handed me a stack of plates, "I'll make the second salad, you set the table.
That should keep you out of trouble." I nodded and started to spread the plates out.

I finished dinner duties right before everyone walked in. I took my seat and was looking forward to eating for the first time that day. Everyone took their seats as well, and Lloyd stood at the head of the table, "We have business to attend to before we feast. First off, whoever left the blood stains on the bathroom floor needs to take care that they start cleaning up. Secondly, Krysty has come back to us after her lovely escapade and brought to my attention that she doesn't like our Pard." Several angry faces glared at me, I know Lloyd had not over heard my conversation with Tara. I glanced at her, but she didn't look back. Guilty, as I thought. I was suddenly ripped out of my chair and almost thrown off my feet, "This bitch thinks we are cruel and merciless, so make her life a living hell." He laughed as he dragged me out of the room, "Get back to your chores." He threw me to the floor.

No food. As of now that was the only thing that bothered me. I sat there doing laundry and started to miss the time when things weren't so bad, when I wasn't the only weak female 

submissive. I wasn't the only one that was picked on or punished, I guess I really only missed the company. As I thought of company my mind turned to the Dark Moon Pard, I wanted to go back, but I knew if I ran, I would have to wait until the opportune time and that wouldn't be for awhile. I pulled myself onto the top of the dryer waiting for the laundry to finish. From my bag I pulled out my sketch book. I flipped back to my work, a small sketch of Robin's pard house and a sketch of Eric's and my room, done by memory when I was waiting for the floors to dry. I had started to sketch their crest until I was painfully reminded that it was not my crest by the pain in my back. I moved to a drawing that I started awhile ago when the photo I had been working off of wasn't old and crumpled. My lines were smooth and sure, I had caught the light in my mother's eyes and the shit faced grin that my father always wore. I heard footsteps and shut my pad, got down and started to sort the last bit of laundry. As the footsteps entered I had just thrown in the last load of laundry.

I turned around and came face to face with Tara, "Back stabbing bitch." I tried to push passed her. The way things used to work with the submissives was we protected each other, not gave them up to Hunter, or Lloyd.

"Yep, I back stabbed you just like I betrayed your parents." She laughed, the comment had caught my attention, my mind flashed back on the night that she had gave me up to the leopards that had killed my parents. She had been babysitting and simply let the people in.

I took a deep breath, my voice was shaking, but there was no stumbling in it, "They never should have trusted you, I bet you were Hunter's little lap dog back then."
"I wasn't Hunter's then, but better a lap dog than a whore like you. Learn your place Kry." She pulled a duffle bag that held enough clothes for another five loads into the room. She started laughing when I emptied the bag, "That's what? Another three hours?" I turned my back on her and started separating the clothes into piles of colors, light, dark and whites. She patted me on the head, "That's a good girl."

I spun around and grabbed her wrist tightly, "I am not a dog, do not treat me as such." She tried to pull away from me but I held tightly, the harder she struggled the tighter my grip got, finally her wrist snapped.
She back up and clutched her already healing hand to her chest. "Bitch you broke my wrist!"
I gave her a cold glare, "Boo hoo, it'll heal." My voice was icy but there was still a type of satisfaction in my heart as I saw her pain.
"You'll pay for it Kry. Mark my words, you have no right to hurt me and since you're the scum of our Pard." She glared down at me. "You will pay."
I gave her a wicked smirk, "You can't do jack shit about it since you're a submissive, just like me. No one cares." My anger was apparent and masked the bitterness in my voice.
She backed out laughing maliciously, "But I have a dominate mate Kry, so watch your back, Rati."

I finished the laundry and then started off to bed. I slipped quietly into the bunk room, creeping towards my bed. I tiptoed over several snoring lycanthropes, a couple of mated pairs and a slipper. During the days I was trapped in a living nightmare, at night I was thrown into more nightmares, one that I assumed everyone had. That had continued constantly for two nights, and now I laid down the third night, Tired of the nightmares that haunted me the nights before, hoping for a good night sleep.

"Kry! the sitter's here!" My mom's voice was higher pitched than normal, but I went into 

the kitchen with a blind faith. I was eleven years old again but as I walked into the room I became my present self it was Sharie who had been calling my name. The kitchen was now the one in Dark Moon's pard house with the big bay window behind Sharie.

"Kry you shouldn't be out of bed." She walked up to me and felt my head, "Come on you're still cold." The whole time she acted like Sharie but her reflection
from the window showed Hunter.

I shook my head, "No, I'm fine now." I stepped back from her trying to conceal my panic, but I failed as she grabbed my arm. I glanced down at her arm then, back at her. Her image rippled away and Hunter stood in front of me.
"Hello Krysty, ready for work?" His grip tightened as he dragged me to the solitary room where Eric waited. He shoved me towards Eric who caught me and pulled me close, I sank into his warmth with that blind faith once again.
"Hunter, I have come to ask for Kry as my mate." His voice seemed darker than normal, but it didn't matter Eric cared about me and he was going to save me. I smiled up at him.
"Granted Rick." Hunter grinned.

Rick? I took another look up at where Eric's easy going smile should have been, but saw Rick's sadistic smile. I tried to pull away, fighting against his arms that were holding me. But his strength was greater and he was able to overpower me, "Oh no love, you're all mine."

I hung my head in defeat, "Please Hunter, Don't do this to me." I looked up at where Hunter should have been, but Emlen was now there, Rick's grip changed so that he was holding me gently and we were on the ground.
"I think she's hallucinating Robin, she must be hurt pretty bad." Emlen's voice was soft as he bent down near me. I looked up and saw Robin now instead of Rick, I started to Relax but when the word hurt set in I instantly felt the pain.
"She needs, honest-to-god rest." She lifted me up and carried me to my room, I fell asleep with her watching over me. I woke when I heard something shatter, I stood realizing I was no longer in pain and then ran to the kitchen. I only saw carnage, blood everywhere, bodies I recognized. Eric, Sharie, Robin Emlen, all dead. Robin's lifeless eyes stared at me. I shifted into my leopard form without warning, I was now a pissed off leopard. I sniffed the air, I caught a scent of blood and my Pard's killer, I looked up to see...

"Krysty!" I was suddenly thrown from my bed and nightmare. I landed on the floor in a crouch and stared at Hunter.
"You're watching the kids today, get ready," Hunter growled at me, "And prepare for your drug doses." I said nothing, still trying to get the images of my dream out of my head. Eric, Sharie, Robin and Emlen, all dead. It was almost too much to take, why were they dead, and who, who had been the person I saw. He was familiar, I knew that, but who? I threw on clean clothes and walked out into the common room where Lloyd was sitting with the syringes next to him. I received my drugs and met hunter at his truck. We drove the few miles to his house, he simply dropped me off and left.

Both kids were napping and I was dozing as the door opened, I was expecting Hunter, not his wife to walk in.
"Uh...hi." I stammered.
She gave me a small smile, "Hey Krysty."
I smiled slightly as well, thanking her for the small amount of warmth she had given me, "Sorry if I got you in trouble when you helped me." It was all I could think of for conversation, 

"What did he do to you anyways?"
She sighed slightly, "Let's just say that I'm one of you now and leave it at that." She moved my bag and sat down in place of it.
I sighed and looked down in sorrow, "I'm sorry. No one should be forced to change." I thought for a moment, "Since you're Hunter's wife- mate, does that mean you have a lot of knowledge about the Pard and how it works?"
"Some, Hunter and Lloyd did the best they could to teach me." She stood, "Why don't we make something to eat while we talk?" She started towards the kitchen.
Hesitantly I followed her, "Yes Ma'am," it sounded good since I had barely eaten anything for the past three days. She handed me a frying pan and a stick butter, I turned on the stove and placed the frying pan on the burner, "I need to know how to get around an agreement so I can switch Pards. I know that as soon as the ceremony is completed unless I chose to leave, I'm part of that Pard." I placed butter in the frying pan and started sliding the square around.
"From my understanding the only way to go to another pard without the ceremony being completed is to take a mate that is higher rank than you in that pard." She cracked a couple eggs into the frying pan.

'I'm here to ask for Kry as my mate.' Rick's voice echoed in my head. I shook my head slightly, "What's included in mate duty?"
She shrugged slightly, "I guess it's the same as marriage, or not, because I've met a few mate pairs that have human spouses as well. So I guess I don't know," she laughed slightly, "I'm not the one to ask about duties. Sorry Kry."
I nodded slightly, "Thanks, actually you've helped a lot."
We sat down to eat, I inhaled my food and she just stared at me astonished at how hungry I seemed, but her look turned mournful, "I'm sorry our plan failed and you ended up back here. God only knows what he has done to you and what he will continue to do."
I shrugged as I cleared the table, "It was too good to last, I guess."
She sighed and started to say something, but Hunter walked in. As expected I gave him the formal greeting. He shoved me away and growled, "Are we having a tea party?"
I stayed on my knees, "No-no sir, I-I made lunch for us." I didn't understand what I had done wrong, was I not suppose to serve his mate?
"Krysty, your food privileges have been revoked for today. Get your things we are leaving. Now!" He looked away from me and I took it as a dismissal.

Every day was filled with torment and small beatings, nothing compared to what I was used to, but I still couldn't help but to think of the Dark Moon Pard. A few more nightmarish days passed and my free day finally came. The first thing I did was sleep, and I actually slept soundly. When I woke up I started back up on the drawing of my parents. Both of these things relaxed me, and my sketch book was like a photo album for me. Unfortunately Hunter burnt my last one, along with the other pictures I had of my parents.
Tara walked in, "Lazy girl." She shook her head and looked over my shoulder, "More drawings of the dead Kry? You know if Lloyd finds that one he'll burn it like the rest." The last sentence was a blow to my heart, it would be the last picture that I had of my parents.
"Tara if you fucking tell him, I won't break just your wrist this time. This time I'll kill you." I closed it protectively. "Besides he shouldn't care what I do on my free time, unless it's plotting."
"He cares because you escaped once, and he doesn't want to lose you again." Her voice 

was feigning concern. She seemed surprised that I would say anything like that against her precious master.
"Go fuck your mate or something. Just leave me alone." I reached under my bed and pulled out a book.

She growled at me, "At least, I have a mate, unlike you, you're a pathetic excuse for a female." She laughed as she walked out. I sighed, I was right, Lloyd had no business knowing what I did on my free time and neither did anyone else for that matter.

It had been two weeks since I had left the Dark Moon pard when there was a pard meeting called. Our pard's arrangement was much different than when I was with Robin. All the submissive leopards were on their knees, the dominate leopards stood behind Lloyd and Hunter and several of our stronger members were in leopard form. I didn't know when our Pard had become organized or when we cared so much for the display of power.
"Lloyd, Hunter you know what I demand when we are here." It was the Panther that tried to kill me.

"Zeal, we know what you demand, chose your gift and we shall prepare it for you." Hunter stood up and waved his hand, "Name it."
Zeal smiled, "I demand, a submissive girl for my gift, I shall return her tomorrow night." He locked eyes with me. "How about her?" He pointed at me.
I froze as Hunter nodded, "We shall prepare her for you and present her as your gift." Hunter motioned to Lloyd who pulled me up and out of the room.
I swallowed my fears, "How can you do this Lloyd?"
"Do what?" He started to go through the closet, apparently my t-shirt and shorts weren't nice enough to please Zeal, "Send me to be raped, send anyone to something they hate just to secure your spot in the pard?" I stared at his back side.
Lloyd pulled a dress out, turned to me, and backhanded me, "I do it for our pard Kry." He threw the dress at me, "Not for my spot in it, now get dress."
I growled, "This is not healthy for our Pard, Lloyd. What this pard needs is a true Varutri or Varutra to lead us."
He kicked me this time, "Shut up or I will gag you."
I took my t-shirt and shorts off, and slid into the dress, "You-you know I'm ri-right." He came up behind me and gagged me, pulling on it hard enough, that I had no choice but to open my mouth and let it in.

He dragged me out and shoved me on the ground, "The Sinking Sun Pard presents to you, Zeal, your gift." He kept hold of my arm and I glanced up at Zeal, hate blazing in my eyes.
"Wonderful, she's gagged and just like a woman should be. She's pretty to look at, but silent." He laughed as he ran his hand through my hair. I tried to pull away, he grabbed my hair and forced me to look up. "Good you've got plenty of energy, I like it when they're full of spirit."
He grabbed my wrists and pulled me out of the house, I looked back, begging with my eyes for anyone to help me, but they shut the door staying silent as the dead. Would Zeal kill me this time? I watched him with fearful eyes while he dragged me down to the house that Lloyd and Hunter kept for guests. Zeal must have set the room up specially for tonight, a bed room complete with chains. I tried to pull away from him but he simply tightened his grip and shoved me forward.
"Honey the sitter's here!" Mom's voice came from the front living room.


I walked in, "I still don't get why I need a sitter, I'm eleven, I can take care of myself." I leaned against the wall being the arrogant preteen I had become.
"Because it's not safe." she sighed and turned to the sitter, "Keep her safe Tara."
Tara nodded, "Of course, I'll try my best, I hope your husband makes it on time." She smiled at her silent warning.
I watched as my mother left and then turned to Tara, "You're a new sitter." I sat on the couch.

"I didn't even know that Mary and Chris had a child. Hunter nor Lloyd know either." She seemed to look around, "A word of advice; don't fight them when they come."
"Kry, Kry, how can you stand still like that when you know what I'm going to do?" His voice seemed to be mocking me. Zeal had me naked and my arms chained above my head.
"Don't fight them," I whispered, he licked up my neck and I rewarded him with a shiver.
"If you don't it's not rape? Is that it?" he laughed at me.
I shook my head, "No, I'm not willing, I just know when to lie down and lose."
He continued to laugh as his fingers plunged into me,

"Who's Hunter and Lloyd? Who is coming here?" I looked at her now worried, where was my mom? Why would she let anyone get me?
"They're my dominates and the only people that are dominate to your parents. Now that they found a weakness they can relieve your parents of their duties. The people who are coming are lycanthropes, just like me, and just like your parents. They are going to kill you." She laughed and opened the front door, many leopards came into the room, a couple attacked me, their claws poised for my stomach. I screamed and tried to get away, but every time I turned around there was another leopard there. I looked at Tara as they tackled me to the ground, "HELP!"
A scream escaped my mouth and the pain of Zeal's teeth breaking my skin brought me back to the present problem, I was aware of him sheathed inside me. My mind was occupied when most of the damage was done. Besides a little slapping around never bothered me.
"Please...Zeal..." I tried to speak through my pain, "Let me be."
He laughed and pulled himself out of me, "Now you beg!" more laughing, "Kry, sweetie, biting you isn't the worse thing I've done to you tonight. Your dress is in shreds thanks to my whip, you barely flinched while I did that. When I chained you with silver I didn't even get a whimper. I fucked you, hard, and your body shivered and arched for me but your mind wasn't here. If intense pain is the only way that to make sure your mind is here, I'll put you in that pain." He pulled out a silver dagger. I closed my eyes willing myself back to the past.

I was in so much pain, someone laid me on a bed in a black room, I was so confused, I remembered leopards changing in to humans, and humans changing into leopards and half leopards.

I groaned in pain and rolled over only to see Hunter standing by bed. "Help me..." I was dying, I could feel my blood seeping out of my veins and onto the bed.
"You want help?" He bent down next to me.
"I...I want to live" I tried to nod, but it hurt too much.
"I'll help you live if you stay with our group." He took my pulse.
"I have nothing now...I'd have to...I'll stay...Help.."

He seemed to laugh at me as he traced a wound on my arm.
A slice in my arm brought me back this time. Pain, blood, cuts and bruises coded my body. I whimpered for him, "Please..."


He laughed, "I'm done with you now little Krysty, but guess what, I'm going to let you sleep outside like the bitch you are." He put a leather glove on and undid the chains that held me up, I fell to the ground not wanting to hold myself up. As of now I just wanted to die and fade away. He tangled his fingers in my hair and used it to drag me across the floor and outside. There was a small porch that he threw me off the edge off. I laid in a heap on the ground and I never looked up as he threw a blanket at me and then tied a thick rope around my neck as if I was a dog. I could hear him moving around the house, and finally all went quiet and dark. I was thirsty, so I messed with the rope, trying to figure out how he had looped it around my neck. I finally managed to get the rope untied and planned on just getting a drink, but as I went to find a glass I found car keys and got a better idea, I stole his car.

I only drove until sun up, I was far enough away that it would take Zeal, Hunter and Lloyd awhile to find me. I was about a day's travel away from Manitou Springs, but I wouldn't be able to make it in the shape I was. My body was trembling and wounded. I was moving sluggishly and couldn't focused my mind well, but a phone number flashed in my head. Sabin's cell. He had given it to me before he left me with the Dark Moon Pard. I huddled in the ratty blanket at a pay phone and called Sabin's cell collect.
"Kry? Oh god, are you alright?" His voice held real concern when he heard my voice over the phone.
"N-n-o" my voice was extremely shaky, "Sabin, I-I ne-need hel-help. Fast." I gave him the city name and street that I was on and then found myself a dumpster to hide behind.

When Sabin found me, I was trying to stand but I had lost strength and faith. I had fallen as I tried to walk to him.
"Kry?" He caught me as I fell, "Hold on Kry, just hold on." Darkness clouded my vision and sleep captured my mind.