Chapter 2 Meat for Breakfast

    "Hello, pet," the man growls as he comes to stand directly in front of me. 

  Terror is paralzying my body so my eyes don't stray from the deep rich red puddle of blood heading directly for my feet. My mind is both screaming and shrinking at the sight, but my fear won't allow me to move. I can't even save myself from joining her. 

  "Kill him," the man again growls before grabbing my arm roughly and yanking me towards a waiting car. 

   I try not to stumble, but it's impossible. Not only is my brain unable to form coherent thoughts, like lift one leg and then the other, but his touch is also distracting. Extremely distracting. It's the only thing my mind can focus on other than Amber's blood. 

   It makes my skin crawl, but at the same time there is something comforting about his touch. Even though he list murdered someone in cold blood right in front of me my brain recognizes his touch as pleasant. 

   "Get in," the man snaps as he tosses my body into the backseat as if he is tossing an empty bag. 

   As soon as his touch leaves my skin my mind once again registers the danger I am in. I instantly reach for the door handle he just happened to throw me next to. But his faint chuckle makes me freeze in my tracks. 

  "You just don't know when you are caught, do you little mouse," he mumbles, and I swallow down the growing lump in my throat. 

   His normal voice is even scarier than the growls. 

   "I asked you a question," he snarls before grabbing a fist full of my hair. 

  I cry out in pain, but he ignores me. He yanks my head back and stares into my petrified eyes. I lick my dry lips and try to fight past the shock rendering my body speechless. After a few moments of terrified silence, he releases my hair and shoves me away from his body. 

    He is looks out the window as if bored with me but I keep starting at him. I am scared that if I take my eyes off of him for one second he will kill me. Suddenly his head turns back towards me and I stop breathing. 

   "Alright..answer me this...who blew up the house," he asks in a voice meant to sound calm, but I can tell rage is just below the surface in his voice.  

   My eyes flick across his dark features, and he raises his eyebrows threateningly. I swallow as I think over my options. But as I open my mouth to answer, he holds his hand up. 

  "Think carefully before lying, Pet," he growls, and I nod. 

  "I did. I made the furnace explode," I whisper, and his teeth clench together. 

   I hunch my shoulders fearfully as his eyes begin to glow with anger, and when he reaches for me, I squeeze my eyes as tight as possible. I expect him to strike me, but he doesn't. He grabs my hand and removes the gold chain bracelet I was made to wear when I was taken from my bed. 

  "You should have lied, little mouse," he whispers as the front doors of the vehicle are opened by the other two men. 

  They get in, and the stench of blood punches me in the face. 

  "Station attendant has been taken care of, Alpha," the driver says, and I gasp before I can control myself. 

  The man next to me growls, and I start to tremble again. 

  "Did you get the girl," the man besides me asks, and tears begin to fall from my eyes uncontrollably. 

  "Yes, Alpha," the driver answers with a smile in his voice. 

  "Good. Let's go," he says, and we pull out of the parking lot in silence. 

  

*********

   Being dragged and thrown into dirty basements should never become a norm for anyone, but for me, the last week has been filled with just that. After hours of driving and crying last night, the murders had pulled into a massive circle driveway. They had then drug me to the basement of the biggest mansion I have ever seen and tossed me into an unfinished room. I hadn't heard or seen anything since, but I have a feeling my peaceful vacation is about to end. 

    "Get up, newbie," a shrill female voice says before banging on the door to my suite. 

   I groan as I stand to my feet and open the door. I've never been without shoes for this long before, and the skin on the bottom of my feet is starting to become raw. 

   "Morning," the high pitched voice says, and I cringe. 

   "Morning," I reply after rubbing my eyes and looking her over. 

  "Sorry, but wake up for us is at four...no, if, ands, or buts about it. I have twenty minutes to get you showered and dressed, so let's get moving," the girl explains quickly before grabbing my already bruised elbow. 

   I hold back my whimpers as I try to keep up with her quick pace. Not once does she slow down or look over her shoulder at me, and the action doesn't give me the feeling of a warm welcome. 

   "Our rooms are in the attic. You will be my bunkmate, so I'm in charge of showing you around. First things first, you need to get clean. They hate it when we stink," she says as she pushes me into what looks like a locker room. 

   "Okay," I whisper, and she nods. 

  "We aren't allowed to use hot water, and we have to be done showering by five. Then we have to clean the showers. The females hate using stuff that smells like humans," she says, and I freeze. 

  I have so many questions about these people but only one stands out. 

   "What are they," I ask, and the girl rolls her eyes before pushing me towards a faucet. 

  "Not human and not bloodsuckers. I'm guessing you are fresh meat......purchased from the human meat market. Probably homeless before they snatched you up. So listen and listen good....you are weak. You are nothing.

And most importantly, you are replaceable. Vampires purchase humans, for one thing, food. Werewolves purchase humans for a few things: sex, food, and slavery. This is my third year in this house. The Alpha and his brother are merciless assholes. Try to make yourself small and do whatever they tell you as quickly as you can. Avoid the females as best you can. If you do those things, life will be tolerable," the girl snaps while stripping me naked. 

   "I wasn't homeless," I whisper, and she looks shocked for a brief second before shrugging. 

   She turns the water on full blast, and I gasp as the freezing water begins to pelt my back. 

  "Wash. I will get your uniform," she orders while pointing towards a clear bottle with no label. 

  As I scrub, other girls begin to trickle in. They only eye me briefly before washing and dressing as if programmed to do so from birth. 

  "Here. Hurry up," the girl snaps as soon as she returns with a grey dress that matches hers. 

  I take it and pull it over my head quickly, hoping the thin-looking fabric can provide at least a small amount of warmth. 

  "What about underwear," I mumble, and she shakes her head. 

  "Not something we are given, princess," she says in a sad voice, that makes me stiffen. 

   Her mention of sex enters my mind and fear fills me. There would be no other reason not to give us underwear. 

   "Come on. I need to show you around," she mumbles after a second, and I nod. 

  "My name is Dany, by the way,' she says as we squeeze through the bathroom door. 

   "Amber," I reply, and she nods. 

  "Our chores are broken up in sections. Kitchen duties is what we have this week. That means we clean the kitchen and dining room. We serve the meals. The lower-level females are in charge of cooking. They don't trust us to prepare their food. Next week we will have bedrooms. Which means changing linens, vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning the upper-level wolves personal restrooms. Week after next, we have laundry. I love laundry week. We get to hide in the basement and fold laundry all day, every day for a week. Then it's common area week. We clean all the floors, all the walls, and we dust everywhere. And then the rotation begins again," Dany explains as questions pop into my mind. 

  "How many are there," I whisper, and she shoots me a side glance. 

  "In this house, there are thirty-seven. This is the unmated packhouse. From my understanding, there are two other large homes and a few single-family homes in Alpha's territory," Dany answers, and my eyes widen. 

  Everytime she answers a question about these creatures a thousand more arise. But she doesn't seem comfortable talking about them. 

  "What about yard work," I ask, and she shakes her head. 

  "We aren't allowed outside. They have male slaves for that. I have seen them through the windows," Dany says, and sadness stabs my heart. 

  "We can't go outside," I whisper, and she shakes her head again. 

   She stops outside a door and gives me a sad glance before sighing. 

  "What you are about to see will not be easy, Amber. They are animals...they might look like men, but they aren't," Dany says, and fear begins to crawl over my skin. 

   I nod, and she pushes the door open quickly. 

   "Humans, get in here! We need this carved up," a tall beautiful woman with large blue eyes immediately barks out upon seeing us, and Dany instantly grabs a stained apron from the counter.

  I follow behind quickly but freeze midstep when my eyes see what is waiting to be carved up on the butcher block. Tears spring to my eyes, and I gasp before covering my mouth and sobbing. Amber and the station attendant are staring glass-eyed towards the ceiling in a heap of bloody limbs. 

   "Stop standing and start working before you join them," the woman roars as she sees me and my feet make my decision for me.

  I bolt from the kitchen and head for the door we passed on the way. I get the knob twisted and the door open before I hear a roar that makes my blood freeze in my veins. Instead of looking over my shoulder or running out into the open yard, I turn and head for the stairs to the basement. 

   I need a plan, and running outside in a panic will do nothing but get me killed. There will be two Ambers laying dead on the counter instead of one. As I descend the stairs, my eyes begin searching. Every book I have ever read begins to turn in my mind. I need a plan, and I don't think I will find another furnace. 

  "Come on, think....think," I whisper right as my eyes land on a door. 

  I run to it, my heart in my throat. I need something.......anything. I open the door and find some basic cleaning supplies along with some bug spray, car oil, a lighter, some rope, and a can of gas. I immediately grab the lighter and the gas. I run to the small basement window and smile when I find it unlocked. 

   I pour the gas all over the floor before ripping off a piece of my dress. I pour gas on it and light it on fire. I throw the burning fabric as far away as possible before throwing the not quite empty can towards the basement stairs. I make sure the burning fabric catches the floor on fire before wiggling out the window. Once on free land, I look around. The sun is barely rising, and I am assuming most of the werewolves are still in bed. Good. 

  When the gas can explodes on the other side of the windowpane, I bolt for the trees. This is it. I need to get to a phone. I need my father to save me from this nightmare.