Blossom

Chapter One: The Stranger

I heard an additional set of footsteps enter the room but didn't dare raise my eyes. I knew better. I tried to make the tension in my body dispel, tried desperately to get into a headspace where I was just a thing and not a person. It was the best way to survive, whatever this was. Survival was the goal, though this past year, even the will to survive seemed to be slowly slipping from my grasp.

"Close your eyes Gabriel and position up into inspection." I heard the stranger's voice, it was deeper then Master's. Though the voice was unknown to me, once I heard the command, my body instantly complied without conscious thought.

I heard footsteps carry the stranger towards me, stopping at the edge of the bed at my back where my feet dangled stiffly. I felt a rough, warm, but a surprisingly gentle hand roam through my hair "Hello my Pet." The stranger whispered directly into my ear, causing me to jolt in surprise, my body tensed as my mind raced despite my efforts to try and empty it, he had said 'my'.

I heard Master chuckle from the door, obviously, due to my reaction. He always enjoyed my reactions when he managed to elicit any kind of surprised fear in me.

"I am pleased, I agree to your terms to take over his permanent contract." The stranger said softly as his hands trailed over me.

Contract? What was a contract? What's happening? My heart began to beat harder, faster. I had no idea what was happening but I felt that it wasn't going to be anything I was prepared for. And that was saying something since I had learned over the years to mentally prepare myself for quite a variety of physical and mental torture.

I felt the hand slide through my hair again before sliding down my back, rubbing small circles as if he was attempting to soothe me.

"So the agreed-upon price?" My Master asked in a voice that was trying to sound nonchalant but I could hear the underlying excitement. The sound of excitement in Master's voice alone was enough to make the blood drain from my face.

"It will be transferred immediately once we depart. I will leave some men here to complete the transfer once I have left. No offense Niles, I trust you about as far as I can throw you."

His voice lowered and became slightly huskier, "Especially when it comes to letting such a treasure like him go, despite the price." I felt his hand firmly grasping my hair, tilting my head slightly to one side, then the other. My eyes remained closed and I resisted the urge to tense my muscles despite my escalating stress over the situation.

The intense feeling of uneasiness grew as I tried to make sense of their exchange. Price? Let him go? Where they talking about me? Was I being sold to this new man? This was all so surreal, I hadn't even seen him, he would be my new Master now? My mind spun as the meaning of their words tried to unscramble in my head.

Though, I realized that despite my fear of this potential looming life altering change, it really didn't matter. Nothing could be worse then what I had already suffered and would continue to suffer if I remained here, though I had made a sort of peace with that. Over the years as Master became more sadistic and cruel, I had realized that when he finally tired of me, he would most likely simply dispose of me in an unmarked grave. I had actually looked forward to it for a long time now, had even asked for it in my lowest moments.

I tasted the tantalizing allure of finally escaping him. My stupid heart began to flicker with a smidgeon hope. Would I really be leaving the devil's grasp? What had brought this on?

"I don't care what you do with or to him. I'm worn out on him, there's no fight left in him anymore. End him in a scene for all I care." He snickered evilly, it was an old threat, one that he had used before. He had taken those scenes so far that I had been surprised then I became conscious again.