Taken

Revelations

I woke slowly, gracefully, from a deep, deep sleep.

I felt groggy, like I had been asleep too long. I had some stomach pains and a sore throat. I reached up to touch my throat and my shoulder was stiff. It didn't hurt but it was stiff. I felt thin and weak.

But not in pain.

My ordeal was still very fresh in my mind so I expected to be in more pain. Far more pain.

I pulled myself up, which took more effort than it should have. I leaned back on the padded headboard of the bed I was in and looked around.

I was in a huge bed in a huge room. It was like the most expensive hotel room in the world. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of bright sunlight from two sides. One was wide open like a door out onto a balcony, allowing a light warming breeze into the room and sending the gauzy curtains dancing. Everything, from the furnishings to the carpet to the wallpaper, looked like the height of luxury.

I wondered just for second if I had died and gone to heaven. I noticed I had cannulas in both arms and I figured that meant I was alive. No IV lines though. I tested my shoulder. It was ok until I rotated it and then it hurt a little. I felt my face with my hands. My skin felt soft and smooth and nothing felt bruised. I ventured down to my nipples. I could see a tiny scar on one but nothing on the other. I pulled the covers back. I was wearing an old-fashioned linen nightgown which I pulled up so that I could examine my private parts. I thought I could see a small scar on my foreskin and a slightly bigger scar on my scrotum but it was hard to be sure.

I reach back to touch my ass and my hole. My pulse was racing a bit as a did that, but everything felt normal. It felt pretty good actually. I wiggled my toes and found they were stiff on one foot, like my shoulder. I remembered another detail and quickly grasped my upper arm. I couldn't quite see all the detail without a mirror, but I had a new red mark there that looked like an almost perfectly round birthmark. It didn't look like a burn though. I touched it with a finger and found I had no feeling on my skin there at all. I had moved quickly and made my ribs ache, but the sensation quickly passed.

I stretched and looked at my side. There were no obvious marks or scars. Nothing ached too much. It was all a bit surreal.

I pulled the covers back over me and sat up in the bed. Out loud I said “maybe I AM dead after all”. I really wasn't sure.

There was a rustling sound from the open window. Two figures came in from outside, both grinning broadly at me. It was TT and Craig St.John.

“Nope, not even a little bit dead” said TT.

“Although you probably should be, the state you were in” added Craig.

I knew that my mouth was hanging open and I knew that tears of relief and joy were dropping from my eyes. Both young men rushed to me and all three of us hugged tightly like our lives depended on it. I had a lump in my throat and my heart felt like it might explode.

We eventually broke the hug and the guys grabbed plush chairs from around the room and came to sit by the bedside. There was a lot of “how are you feeling” and “it’s great to have you back” before the noise of people speaking over each other died down to silence.

Craig looked at me and said in earnest. “Are you ok?”

“I think I am” I replied. “Either I wasn’t as badly hurt as I thought or I have healed real quick, because I don't feel too bad. It’s… weird.” I noticed Craig and TT glance quickly at one another. I frowned. “What....?” I said. There was something in that glance.

They both looked at each other again. Eventually TT plucked up the courage. “You were badly hurt. I mean badly. Like, for the first two days they weren't sure you were going to make it, that kind of badly. You haven’t healed quickly - well, you have but that’s only because you’ve had the best medical care available on the planet - but you’ve been in a medically induced coma for many weeks.”

My eyes went wide. I looked at the blue plugs in my veins and I thought about how I felt. The hunger, the sore throat and odd feeling around my mouth where I must have been intubated, the slightly light-headed feeling, stiff joints and weakness..... I knew it was true.

'Why don’t we catch you up?” Said Craig.

“Yeah, it’s a good story and maybe you’ll feel better for knowing”. Said TT.

I nodded. I think I was in shock. TT cleared his throat theatricality and leaned forward.

“After you were taken all hell broke loose. Jonno went fucking loopy, like I mean out of his mind. He was at the main Chapterhouse where a lot of us stay when a load of cars pulled up, lots of men ran in and they told him. They brought Connor in with his hand practically hanging off. He was beside himself, poor bastard. Blamed himself. All the clients were sent away immediately. Jonno sent a car to fetch the boss and they spent half an hour locked up in one of the offices. When the door opened the boss jumped in a car that sped off and Jonno gave about a thousand orders in the space of ten seconds. Between them they mobilised a fucking army.”

“Later that night they brought two guys to Jonno. They apparently had some information on where you had been taken, apparently were part of the crew who snatched you. No-one was bothered about what we were doing, so all the crew at the Chapterhouse saw the whole thing. Loads of us were sat all the way up the stairs watching. Jonno unloaded on those two bastards like nothing I have ever seen before. I never knew what the word ‘fury’ meant until then. I’m glad he’s on our side! He got the information eventually. Loads of people couldn’t watch. He was......feral, you know like an animal. I’m pretty sure he killed one of them with his bare hands and the other guy was taken away “to be disposed of” and I think we all know what that means.”

“Anyway, the boss came back after midnight with some woman and even more men. These guys were hard looking bastards. All ex-military types and all armed to the teeth. A load of black SUVs pulled up and they started to load up.”

TT sat back and said with a broad grin, “I told them I was going too. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. The boss came to speak with me personally. Me! Told me I could do nothing to help. I told him I did not give a fuck. You were deep in shit and you’d need a friend. I argued a lot. Thought I'd get slapped from there to next week, but no-one had the heart for it. Jonno came and interrupted. Told the boss I could go - told him, didn’t ask him - and told me to stay out of the way. So I went too.”

“We got to some abandoned warehouse at the old docks after two in the morning. There was a party going on. These military guys stormed the place. There was gunfire, stun grenades - all sorts of shit. They blew the doors off the place. Then Jonno was out and running. I followed him. That’s when we found you. You were in bad shape.” He stopped, his eyes wide. “I don't think I'll ever get that image out of my mind actually. You were strung up in a pool of your own blood, covered in puke and.... other stuff. You were beaten to shit......”

Craig interrupted. “He was there TT. I think we can skip that part?”

“Oh yeah...right....sorry.” He said, realising he was being insensitive. “Anyway, we thought you’d gone. You know, dead. Jonno got you down and he and doc got to work right away.”

Craig interrupted again. “They needed to restart your heart and resuscitate you. Your airways were blocked and you were jacked up on Christ-knows what. You’d lost a lot of blood too. And as our friend here so eloquently put it..... you had been beaten to shit. Doc Garcia eventually got you so that you were mostly stable. He had to reset your shoulder right there because the blood had been cut off, and he got fluids into you. And something to counteract the drugs. That’s when Jonno left your side, when he was sure you were in safe hands. He went from concerned nurse to raging maniac in a heartbeat. It took six of those military types to hold him off of the ringleader. I swear he would have killed him with his bare hands. He was raging.”

“Such exaggeration” said a familiar voice in the doorway.

“Master!” I exclaimed. He rushed over to the bed and hugged me tightly.

“My god it’s good to see back with us!” He said. He had tears streaming down his face and I notice the others did too.

Eventually I pushed him away. “I need to hear this” I said and he nodded understanding. He wiped his face with his sleeve and sat on the edge of the bed.

“In that case I'll cover the next part because these two clowns will make it sound like a Die Hard movie.” He laughed, a genuine sound of happiness. “I’ll make this brief. I think you know that Pavel had been trying to evolve his business reconnect with his estranged family. What no-one knew is that Pavel’s brother had been working against him in secret. He didn't want a family reconciliation and was working against a clean-up. Oleg always had a passion for….. that end of the market. He took you to prove a point, but we’ll come to the detail of that when Pavel arrives. Anyway, by taking you he forced the family come down on Pavel’s side. It became an honour thing. They sent help and they.....disposed of the brother. Pavel is working with his sister now and trying to unravel the mess.”

“You should know that Pavel went to his allies for help. He went to Christian, and Christian involved Craig’s father. There isn’t anything goes down in the criminal underworld that his people don’t know about. His people, led by Craig here, found two of the men who snatched you and they brought them to me.” I glanced at Craig, who was beaming with pride. “Poor Connor gave a good description of one of the men, which meant we had something to go on. So, we found you, and almost too late . Doc Garcia couldn’t fix you up and we knew the local hospital wouldn’t be able to do much more than patch you up, if we were lucky. You were too far gone and needed very specialist care. We called in some favours. One of your old clients, Lucus, is a world-renowned plastic surgeon with friends in all the right places and he is extremely wealthy. Craig’s father had already contacted him and he agreed to help as soon as he knew it was for you. Between them, and Pavel’s family, and Christian’s people, they have found and funded just about the best care that it’s possible to have.”

TT interrupted. “Doctor Lucus sent his personal helicopter to collect you and Christian sent a gunship escort if you can believe that!” He said with excitement. “If you could see the shit that was mobilised for you..... man, Hollywood could not have done it better!”

Master smiled at TT’s enthusiasm. “It is true that Christian has intervened in this affair. That’s rare. He has let it be known that any move against you would incur his personal wrath. In that message he cancels the contract on your head. He has no technical authority to do that, but I told you before he’s head of the most powerful of the families. No-one will dare to disrespect his edict.” Master grinned at me. Much of this was lost on me and I was scrambling to keep up.

“Anyway....” said Master. “Your doctors wanted to ensure you had time to properly recover physically before you had to face any psychological trauma. It was also easier for them to work on you when you were not..... around. Made things far quicker. You’ve needed a lot of work and reconstructive surgery to ensure you were not permanently scarred. Lucus is a genius when it comes to that. That’s why they put you into a coma.”

“Not that anyone listens to the old fat man”. Another person had entered the room.

“You!” I exclaimed. It was the fat man. One of the clients from the first few days. The one who had been so good to me.

“Yes, me. At your service” he said with a smile. “Now, young masters St.John and whatever I'm supposed to call you” he said, nodding his head towards TT. “Make yourselves scarce while I check on my patient.” He shoed them out of their chairs. “Two people at a time, I said. No more.”

He came to my bedside, placed a large warm hand on my forehead. “How do you feel, young man?” He asked.

“I'm ok I think” I said. “A bit stiff. And....... I think I'm hungry.”

Both the fat man and Master laughed. “Well, that’s the best sign I could have. You have a sore throat?” I nodded. “Hmmm, that will pass. As will the stiffness. You need to build up your strength slowly now. Your two young friends have been at your side day and night. I made use of them. They have been your personal physiotherapists, stimulating your muscles for you while you have been asleep. So, things could be worse. Keep an eye on your shoulder and your toes. The dislocation and broken shoulder was quite nasty so that will be stiff and it might ache. You had several broken toes so the same applies. I think your ribs will be fine, but you might experience a little aching there over the next few weeks. There’s not much I could to accelerate the mending of broken bones, I’m afraid. Other than that, well, you’re a young lad and you’ll bounce back.”

“Sir, how do I thank you....?” I said.

“Ha! You thank me by getting well and getting back on your feet, that’s how. We’ll catch up later and we can talk about what we’ve done to you.” he replied. “And don’t call me sir. I’m Lucus.” He smiled at me. I couldn't speak. I just stared back, somewhat in awe. “I’m going to have the kitchen rustle up some soup for you. Jonno, Pavel is on his way up.” Master nodded and Lucus left, saying “I won’t be too long” as he went.

“While we’re on that subject” said Master. “Don’t call me Master any more. I have told you that before, but now I really mean it. I’m Jonno. I am not your master. You don’t have a master any more.” I dumbly nodded.

Pavel arrived in the doorway. Jonno went to him and they embraced before they both sat in the chairs vacated by TT and Craig.

“It’s good to see you whole, my friend” said Pavel. I was startled. I wasn’t expecting to be addressed as ’my friend’. “Are you strong enough? Is he, Jonno?” He looked from me to Jonno.

“Strong enough for....?” I said, confused.

“To take a couple more shocks, young man.” He said. “Today’s the day it all comes out. The whole truth. You have waited quite long enough.”

“I’m strong enough” I said. I didn’t know if I was, but I wanted everything out in the open. I needed to join up the dots, the snippets of information that I had and that made no sense on their own. I kinda felt like a lot had happened and I was racing to catch up, but I knew I couldn’t begin to recover and get strong unless I knew everything.

Jonno nodded. Pavel cleared his throat. “I know who you are.” He said.

That got my attention. What did that mean? He continued. “Some of what we have done to you.... we have been cruel. I do not know if I can ask you to forgive me. But listen to the whole story. I will answer any questions you have.” He cleared his throat and sat back.

“The story begins a long time ago. I’ll try to keep this brief and we can catch up on the details when you’re feeling stronger. So….. I have two sisters and brother. You have met my brother Oleg, and I think you may have caught sight of Arina. We had a younger sister, too. She was a beautiful young thing, so full of love and life. She fell in love with a man from a rival family and they ran away together against family wishes. My father, as head of the family, eventually let her go but the other family was not so forgiving. The man was the first son and slated to inherit, so by running away with my sister he had, in his father’s eyes, placed an unforgivable dishonour upon them. This was big news among the families and their retainers. This sort of thing simply did not happen. ”

“They hunted the pair like animals. We know that my sister was with child by the time they caught up to the pair. We believe that she gave birth prematurely and that she died in childbirth. There are no records so the circumstances are lost to time, but we can guess that being pursued relentlessly had taken its toll. All anyone knew for sure is that that two boys were born in that hospital on the same day. For some unknown reason the family’s men could not establish which was which, so they stole both boys away and secretly placed them in the city, each with a carer. They invoked a terrible contract. They let it be known that when the boys were old enough they were to be taken as slaves. A very large price was placed upon them and substantial funds set aside; whoever located a boy would receive the reward upon verifying his death. It was a cruel and unusual punishment, a lesson to all that family dissent would not not tolerated. The aim was of course to wipe out that line and any claim to the family business. Ironically, that family was destroyed utterly not long after, my father having arranged for another to take the revenge that he could not publicly be seen to take. My sister was his favourite.” Pavel got a far away look. He leaned forward and rubbed at his shin before sitting back and sighing. “They took the location of the boys with them to the grave. So, the legend of the lost boys was begun. ”

He paused again. “Of course, after this long the funds have grown and attracted much attention. Many groups have sought the boys for a long time. For others the lost boys have passed into myth and legend.”

“I have been looking for those boys for a very long time, too, for my own reasons. We finally found them both, almost in the nick of time. The first boy had already been sold and in the struggle to extract him, he was killed by his captors. We gathered our evidence and tests showed that this boy was my sister’s child. We were too late. But the other boy’s sale was proceeding, the deal not yet complete. I had searched for both boys for so long that I could not abandon the other to his fate. He may not have been of my blood, but by now it felt like he was. I stepped in and we forced the carer, a man masquerading as the boy’s grandfather, to sell to us instead.”

“That boy was you.“

I sat in silence, my mouth hanging open. Everything I knew about myself appeared to be a lie and I was confused, my head spinning.

“You were, as they say, the spare. The other boy. An innocent boy caught up in family affairs. But we had sought you for so long that we could not, in all good conscience, simply ignore your plight. You see, you remained in grave danger. At least two organisations were actively seeking you now, rumour of events having surfaced in the worst of places. If we let you go you were dead, I had no doubt, and after all those years of searching I simply couldn’t do it. Nor could I collect the reward myself, so we chose to take what we believed was the lesser of the hard choices in front of us. We brought you into our organisation and put you to work while we decided what to do with you.”

I wanted to speak now, but I was still processing what I was hearing. I was becoming angry at how I had been mistreated my whole life. I missed my opportunity as Pavel continued his tale.

“We had a problem of our own. My brother was moving against me and we knew that somehow he had infiltrated our organisation. We learned that it was his men who had killed the other boy and who had been secretly bidding for you. So, we had to treat you like any other boy to ensure no-one suspected a thing. We let it be known that your grandfather owed me money and that I had agreed to take you in repayment. It wasn’t completely unheard of to keep a ‘taken’ boy in a secure location away from everyone else, to treat you a little differently since you did not fit the usual pattern of my workforce. So that’s how we played it. It gave me an excuse to do what no-one would suspect: we left you where you grew up, where we could watch you while we worked to free you from the contract that was placed on your head before you could even walk. We spread rumours that you had died. We figured that it would take a few weeks for the furore to die away, after which time we could take some time to think again about your future.”

I was transfixed, my eyes wide and glistening with moisture, a growing lump in my throat.

“We knew that your life would not have been good up to the point we found you. We assumed that you would have suffered a life of abuse, almost certainly rape and torture and beatings, probably from a very young age. We believed that you would actually be better off with us, under our protection. We didn’t doubt that. We would keep you safe and warm and healthy and fed. We usually give our boys a choice, but in your case there was no choice. When we learned that you.... well, that you were still a virgin, I admit I was thrown off. I had to make a quick decision on that day. I couldn’t treat you differently in front of those who were present for fear of revealing your identity, so we took you anyway and damn the consequences. I told myself it was still better than certain death. I know I made the wrong decision that day. I am sorry.”

Here was a long pause and Jonno shuffled uncomfortably in his chair, painfully aware of his part in the plan.

Pavel spoke again. “The other boy was not so fortunate. We are certain he was abused badly throughout his short life, the poor soul. We believed that we could offer….. better circumstances for you, even if you were untouched. Of course we had nothing else to offer. There was no ‘plan b’. We were already taking so many risks. Jonno and me….. we almost changed our minds a few times in those early days….. but you took to your new work very quickly and we became rather fond of you. Despite the circumstances you seemed relatively happy. We took some steps to limit the abuses you might take, although I admit we were only partly successful in that thanks to the infiltration in our ranks, so with strict measures in place we presumed to continue with our plan.”

“Jonno here believed that you were special. We watched you closely and we agreed that there was something about you. After your encounter with the Prince we agreed that we were wrong to have involved you in our business in this way, but we simply didn’t know what else to do. We agreed that you had to have an “out” as they call it. Jonno……. He wanted more for you. He’d gotten to know you, you see….. despite his reputation, Jonno here is more the lover than the fighter.”

“After much thought we agreed to begin the process of limiting your work. It was another risk, but we stopped any further bookings for you and we ensured that any potentially difficult client was immediately switched to another boy without you knowing. You told us you were happy, so we continued the charade just enough to keep suspicions at bay. We let you choose whether to attend the party, but only us three knew that.”

“We agreed that when everything was concluded and when I had finalised the deal to be rejoined with my family, Jonno and I would offer to adopt you. We had been looking for you for such a long time and had become so very fond of you, that we wanted you to stay with us. Up until the day of our annual party, that was our plan. You could tell us no, of course, and in that case we’d give you enough money to make a life of your own. Either way, we knew that we had reparations to make. Our intentions were good, but we feared we had only added to your sorrow.

Pavel wiped a tear from his eye. He paused for a few breaths, and then continued.

“Then quite by chance your friend noticed something that we had….. overlooked. Your eyes. They are so very big and such an unusual colour of blue. Jonno had seen it before, of course, and he even mentioned it to me once. But we simply….. didn’t see the relevance. We already knew that the dead boy was family and that you were the other child. However, when your friend became angry about how we were treating you, angry enough to confront Jonno here, he called the colour of your eyes to Jonno’s attention in a way that suddenly…. suddenly brought some loose strands together. We had been discussing only the evening before why both boys had been taken all those years ago. Why go to that extra effort? It made little sense to us even as rather sick object lesson.”

“And then we realised that we had not tested your blood, not for DNA anyway. We had only assumed….. We took blood from you immediately and the doctor took them to the lab. We knew we would have results by mid afternoon the next day. Then trouble struck. My sister decided it was time to conclude business just as rumours reached us that a rival family was planning an imminent attack on us to get to you. Your unusual status had got out. Questions were being asked and someone, somewhere, must have put two and two together. We had you returned to the house where believed you were secure. I am so very sorry that it was not secure enough.”

Pavel wiped another tear away. Master went to him and grasped his shoulder. He turned to me and continued.

“You see, I have known two people with eyes just like yours, that piercing azure blue. I just never made the connection. The first was your mother, a long time ago. The second is here. Pavel.” He said. I glanced back at Pavel and suddenly I knew. He had the most amazing big blue eyes.

“We received your blood work back.” Said Pavel, our eyes locked together as he picked the thread of the story back up. There was some confusion to begin with. We thought the samples had been mixed up, but it soon became clear that you and the other boy were twins. You are my young sister’s son. You are my nephew. My family. You see, there was no spare. The children….. the lost boys…. were twins.”

My head was spinning. This was all too much. I couldn't speak.

Jonno sat forward. “You and Pavel share the same blood type. I’s a good thing too because you’re AB positive, very rare. You needed a lot of blood that first day and it all came from Pavel, to the point that he collapsed and was laid up for two days himself. We drained him dry.”

I glanced over at Pavel, who smiled sheepishly in my direction. “That was the very least I could do!” He said. He might have thought so, but I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward him in that moment.

“Even before Pavel and I agreed that we wanted to adopt you, I was going to ask if you would like to come and live with me. I told you I would look after you and I meant it. You could continue to work, if you wanted to, or not. Your choice.” Said Jonno.

I had a lump in my throat and tear welling in the corners of my eyes. My entire life had just been stripped away from me and replaced with a new one that I didn’t recognise. These people had been so good to me, so good for me, but I was angry about my situation and I wanted to lash out. “But you took me!” I shouted, my face red. “You used me and sold me for sex! You……” I broke off, unable to finish the sentence. Having shouted and vented I realised that I didn’t mean to direct my ire at these two. And my heart wasn’t in this argument.

Yeah, they took me. They took me from a shitty life that was about to end in drawn out death, the death that had been planned for me that night at Oleg’s party. I looked at my life now. I felt strong, comfortable in my own skin and with my sexuality in a ways I never knew was possible. I knew what I was. I had friends, people who cared and for whom I cared deeply. It was weird, but I wasn’t angry about it. I was over it. I was just stunned and angry for my parents and at the situation and…… and just because.

Jonno sat back. He looked as though I had struck a physical blow and I already felt guilty.

Pavel spoke. “Yes, we did that.” He said nodding slowly. “I’ll be honest, it’s the only life I know and in my arrogance I thought our carefully vetted clients would have been better than anything your ‘grandfather’ did to you. How you started....... it’s exactly how I started. We knew enough about you to think we were making the best choices for you. We felt better about our choices when very early on you seemed to have come to terms with your role. Even enjoying it, in part. And you had Jonno here under your spell. That is what first led us to think again and to change our plans.”

“I thought you gave your boys and girls an offer up front? Why couldn’t you just ask me?” I said, more softly now. It wasn’t an accusation. I guess I was just thinking out loud.

“Yes, we do. But most of the time it is not much of a choice. Let’s take your friend, the very loyal number twenty-two. You call him TT, correct?” I nodded. “His name is Samuel. He was badly abused by his parents from the time he was a baby. They progressed to selling him to very nasty people to fund their drug addiction. We found Samuel in an alley, barely more than a child. He was half dead, beaten, abused, and then forced to overdose. We gave him a choice. He could remain in that alley and very likely pass into the next life, leaving his pain behind. Or he could work for us and we would save him. We would protect him, feed him, keep him warm, keep him free of disease. But until his twenty-fifth birthday he would serve. After that he would be free to go, or to remain in another part of our organisation. It was a choice, but it was not a choice. You see?” Pavel shrugged.

“With you, what choice was there? I wanted to keep you close having searched for you for so long. There was still a price on your head. Everything you knew about anything in your life was false. I believed I had nothing to offer except maybe the life I led at your age, only perhaps in a safer environment than I had for myself.” Pavel instinctively leaned forward again and rubbed at his his leg and I remembered that I had seen him do that before. He looked pained, like it ached. This life had messed him up and he knew it, but in his own twisted way, in his criminal underworld way, I could see that he had tried to do the right thing for me and was now trying to make amends for mistakes that were made along the way. As looked at him, as I thought of the first time we met when he told me his rules, a thought suddenly occurred to me and as soon as it did, I knew I was right.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” I asked. My blue eyes locked with his.

Pavel narrowed his eyes. I could see he understood. Something passed between us then. An understanding. His shoulders dropped, he slouched a little in his chair. “Yes, it was me.” He said. “I was the boy whose arms and legs were broken when I refused to do as I was instructed. Jonno here..... he saved me that day. As he saves me every day he is with me.” He grasped Jonno’s hand and held it tight.

Jonno wiped his forehead with his hand. “Pavel was thrown out of home at about your age.” He said. “His father was disgusted that he and I were in a relationship. Different times. He would not tolerate it and so he disowned his son. We came to the city and made our living as best we could, mostly selling the only thing we had: ourselves.” He sighed. “We were taken in by an unscrupulous firm. Made to do things neither of us wanted. Believe me when I say, you have had it easy by comparison. Pavel was uncannily like you..... I should have recognised the similarities earlier. I can’t believe I didn’t...... But he was headstrong and used to getting his own way whereas you were used to being compliant. When he finally refused outright to perform an act, our Master had him beaten almost to death. I stole a small boat and followed them out to sea where I knew they would dump his body and more through luck than anything I found him. We made it through and we set up our own firm and we pledged to be better. We have been trying to be better ever since.” He smiled ruefully. “Not always successfully.”

“The quest to find my nephew started then.” Said Pavel. “To begin with it was a means to gain some acceptance from my family, all of whom had given up on the boy. Then it became an obsession. I could not stomach the thought of a member of my family going through what I did, or worse, unto death.” There was a long silence. Pavel stared at the floor, remembering events long forgotten. Jonno was studying me in that way he had, trying to fathom what I was thinking.

Despite my initial shock and anger, I had to admit that my life was immeasurably better for knowing these strange but wonderful people. I knew what they had done to me, but the truth was I just did not care any more. I hadn’t really cared for a long time. I had come to terms with everything before now and it took my pity for Pavel’s situation to remind me of that. Any anger I had left melted away like mist in the bright sunshine. I had a deep love for Master Jonno, I’d found a friend in TT, and I was hoping to get to know Craig considerably better if he was open to that idea. Even Pavel seemed like a nice guy, if troubled.

Pavel looked up and our eyes met once more. “Can you forgive me for the wrongs we have done to you?” He said, he eyes glistening with moisture.

My answer was immediate. “No” I said and I shook my head. Pavel looked stung, but I explained, “Because there’s nothing to forgive. You did what you do, what you know. With the very best intentions. Nothing more. And my life is so much the richer for it. Your methods might not have been the methods I would have chosen for myself..... if you had asked me, I would probably have run a mile. But you didn’t and we can’t turn back the clock. Ultimately I would not wish to be anywhere but here, now, with....... friends?” I finished, asking for validation of that statement. Where these people my friends? Once and for all I needed to know.

Pavel grinned in a way I had never seen before. “More than friends” he said. “We’re family!”

Jonno got up and hugged me tightly. He pulled back and looked me in the eye as he said “I told you I would always be here for you whether you wanted me or not. I said that before I knew who you were. I meant it then and I mean it now. And I’ll tell you, if I didn’t have Pavel and if I were twenty years younger...... well, I'd be giving young Craig a run for his money!” We laughed and the tension melted.

I looked up at these two, my new family. At the mention of Craig my my chest constricted and I decided to turn my attention there, away from the emotion of this moment. “You think Craig is interested?” I asked, suddenly shy.

Jonno laughed from his belly. “Kid, from the moment we found you Craig has not left your side. The truth is, we wouldn’t have found you without Craig. He found the men that led us to you, the first time in his life he took charge of St.John family business. We was dogged in his determination. His father is proud beyond words and credits you with the changes in his son. Believe me, that boy has deep feelings for you, that’s for sure. Your only problem is that TT is jealous...... perhaps not in that way, I think he just likes the idea of having a best friend after all these years and he doesn't want to loose you so quickly. You and he have a lot in common.”

I couldn't help but grin. But I needed to know one more thing. “And.....us?” I asked. I was confused by this relationship we had and now I knew Pavel and Jonno were together I was even less clear.

Pavel smiled at me. “Jonno and I have an...... an unconventional relationship. But we always return to each other. You may find that unconventional relationships are a feature of our business.” He winked at me. “You might even like that”.

I blinked. It was like I was in a new world, like everything that had happened to me was designed to bring me to this point. Suddenly I was beyond happy. And I was alive. What more was there?

“I have one final question” I said.

“Of course.... anything” said Pavel.

“Where the hell is Lucus. I'm starving!”

Pavel and Jonno laughed and I joined in. It had been a day of incredible revelations but, deep down, I was truly okay for the first time in my life.

- - - - - - - -

I lay back in bed, the light turned right down. It had been an astonishing day and I was tired. I couldn't sleep though. My head was spinning with all the things I had heard today and having exercised, my shoulder and my feet all had a dull background ache.

Lucus had filled me in on a few things. I was essentially okay, but I had been near death. The stresses of my ordeal combined with serious blood loss, severe concussion, and an overdose of drugs had eventually stopped my heart. Fixing me up had been difficult work for Doctor Garcia and some of Lucas’s friends, but it was Lucas himself who had performed miracles to return to my body to almost its previous state. With one or two minor exceptions I wouldn’t be scarred for life. Not physically anyway, and I believed I was strong enough to get over it mentally with the help of new friends and family around me.

The door opened and closed and a figure came into the room. The light was behind him, but I knew it was TT. He closed the door and stood at the end of the bed, watching to see if I was awake.

“Hello, Samuel.” I said.

He was momentarily surprised, then he grinned. “Found out my true identity, eh? I’ll have to murder you now and bury you in the gardens”. He dived onto the bed and crawled up to me. He planted a wet kiss on my lips and said “It’s good to have you back. For a long time there I thought your days were numbered.”

I smiled, and he started to caress my abdomen. I sort of shied away and he pulled back. “Not ready?” He said. “That’s okay”. He seemed a little hurt, maybe.

I took his face in my hands. “No... It’s just...... I don’t know...... Craig?”

Craig had come to see me late in the afternoon after having helped me with my exercises. He had some tasks he had been neglecting for his father and now he knew I was okay he had to go away for a few days. He was taking his new responsibilities seriously, it seemed. He was uncharacteristically shy as he finished up what he needed to say. “Are we....... do you..... could we....... I don't know whether you want to...... look, I'd like us to be an item” he stammered out eventually. I had grinned from ear to ear and we kissed for he longest time. It was just about the only thing that had happened today that I had no doubts about. He had almost cancelled his trip but I had sent him off. “I’m apparently not going anywhere. Go and make your father proud. I’m not going to be the reason you shirk your responsibilities five minutes after you accept them. I’ll be here when you get back” I had said.

Samuel smiled. “Ah I see.” He said. “I already know. We spoke before his car collected him”.

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” I said.

Samuel’s smile broadened. “Yeah.” He said casually. “He’s one happy guy. Makes a change as he’s been like a bear with a sore head the whole while you have been laying here.” He made a show of thinking for a few second before correcting himself. “Well, perhaps more like a lovesick teenager”. He chuckled. “Anyway, he asked me to keep an eye on you. We discussed what keeping an eye on you means and we agreed that maybe you need to get back on the horse. I offered to keep you warm while he was gone.” Samuel was grinning now, his eyes sparkling.

I raised both eyebrows now. What had these two cooked up? “Yeah,” he said. “I don’t want you to think I'm here because I like you. Nope. I’m here because Craig asked me to....er..... tune the engine for him”. He moved in for a kiss and this time I responded.

“I don’t think I am going to get used to all this jumping in and out of bed with people when you’re supposed to be in a relationship” I said.

“Well, get used to it.” He said with a smirk, the inference being that he wasn’t going anywhere. He came in for another kiss but pulled back at the last minute. “By the way, it’s Sam, not Samuel” he said “But TT is fine too. I’ve been TT for longer than anything else.”

“I’m going to call you Sam” I sad.

He nodded. “And do I keep calling you Blue? Or Sixteen? Or you prefer ‘boy’ maybe?” He tickled me sending me off into spasms.

“Pavel told me my real name. My original name. I think I'd like to use that. It’s the only thing about my life that is....was....real.” I said. “It’s Jaimie.”

“I like that,” Sam said. “But I’m going to cal you Jay. That suits you.” I smiled. I liked the sound of that.

“Nice to meet you, Jay” Sam said. He shook my hand, totally serious. “I’d like to be friends. I just want you to know that.”

“Me too.” I said, grinning. I let a warm glow wash over me before returning to more mundane matters. “Anyway, how is it you’re not working? Has everything closed down?”

Sam paused before he answered. I guess he was wondering whether he should say anything. He decided to be honest and I was pleased about that. “A few of us watched the tapes of what they did to you.” He said. I went red, embarrassed and a little shocked. He quickly continued. “It wasn’t supposed to be a viewing. The boss and Jonno watched with Lucas to make sure they knew what injuries you might have. I kinda snuck in.......with Craig”.

I gasped. Craig had seen?

“Don’t worry, it just made him all the more teary-eyed about you. Took a while to console him actually. Jonno, though..... he went….. I don’t know how to describe it. He went loopy. That man needs therapy. He smashed up some very expensive furniture and went for a very long walk. He was inconsolable and when he came back I thought he and Pavel were going to come to blows. Pavel was.....weird. Went into a strange mood. Kind of reflective, you know? To cut a long story short Jonno made it clear that all red activity was banned. He said he’d personally hunt down any client who harmed one of us and kill them with his bare hands. He told Pavel that if didn’t act immediately, Jonno would. Pavel agreed and they got word out. Jonno promised me a silver job, but Pavel said I can either walk away or stick around as a silver” he said, a huge grin on his face.

“You’re not worried are you? You know we’ll stick together no matter what, right?”

“It’s ok. I’m going to stick around for a while anyway. But I'm going to need someone to show me how to fuck like a normal boy, without being beaten all the time. I have only done that with you and those people at the party.... well, and Jonno…… And Eighteen of course…… And I tried out Craig while you were unconscious. Caught him off guard. Don’t look at me like that! Oh and I'm on a retainer with Lucus. I agreed it with him and Pavel as a thank-you. I like him a lot.” He grinned again and chuckled to himself. “You know any hot pieces of ass who might be gentle with me while I learn?” He asked. He tilted his head to one side and batted his eyelashes at me.

Suddenly I wasn't tired. I laughed loudly. “Sounds like you’ve had quite enough practice with half the city, including with my boyfriend!” I said, but somehow I wasn't in the least bit jealous. “It’s going to be hard for you to find someone who has such low standards” I said through my smile. “What you need is a pretty young thing who has been confined to his sick bed. Someone who can't just up and run away.”

He laughed, called me a rude name, and kissed me deeply.

“Go easy on me” I said softly. “I really do want to know if everything works….. but just….. be gentle.”

Sam kissed my neck softly, his hand caressing my abdomen. I felt myself responding and it with an immense sense of relief that I was hard and ready by the time Sam was there with his tongue. He licked me all over down there, sucking my balls, lick the shaft, and then engulfing the head of my cock with his soft mouth. He gave excellent blowjobs and tonight was no exception.

I got real horny real quickly and I had to pull him off before so that I didn’t come too quickly. He responded by pushing me onto my side and pushing my legs up. He placed his face as my entrance and proceeded to lick my hole in long, wet, hot strokes. I moaned. The softness and gentle nature of Sam was in stark contrast to his previous Red status and the abuses I had suffered at Oleg’s hands.

As Sam rimmed me with his wet tongue, he slowly inserted his index finger and carefully, sensuously, he stretched me. One finger led to two, which led to one from each hand. He pulled me open with both hands and he drove his tongue inside me. It was blissful.

“Fuck me Sam” I said. “I need you inside me!” I was ready. I was desperate for a loving cock inside me.

He got on his knees and wet the end of his cock. He placed his hands on my hips as I lay on my side and he slid himself inside me. I let out a deep breath and relaxed. It felt great.

We made love slowly and passionately, with Sam taking special care to go easy on me. He leaned over me and we kissed a lot as he fucked into me. It was a gentle, loving, slow fuck. He grasped my cock, pulling it down between my legs and playing with my foreskin and head.

I finished first, pumping my cum over Sam’s hand. As he finished inside me I was relieved beyond words. Everything worked. Nothing felt wrong. In fact, everything felt incredibly right.

Sam got behind me where I lay and held me tight, snuggling into me, his breath on my neck and his warm body pressed against mine. Neither of could bothered to get cleaned up. We fell asleep like that. It was a deep sleep and I was not troubled by dreams or doubts for the first time in my life.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The next day Sam got up and left to meet Lucus bright and early. I remained in bed and got up much later. Jonno came in as I was getting dressed. He actually blushed and apologised, which made me laugh. He went to leave and I called him back.

“Jonno, you used to barge into my room any time you wanted and for weeks you didn't allow me to wear clothes. We've fucked. A lot. I think we're beyond you getting embarrassed if you come in my room to find me half naked!” I was standing beside a pile of clothes trying to decide what to wear. I had selected some pretty sweet underwear - some snug powder blue briefs - but I was standing around in them being indecisive.

He turned back. I went to him and threw my arms around him. He hugged me tightly, like I might disappear if he stopped. Eventually he pushed me away. “Let me look at you” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

He cupped my face with his hand, turning me this way and that. He traced his fingers over the scar under my eye, across the mark on my shoulder and down my body to a sensitive spot at my side. He gently turned me so he could run his warm, rough hands over my back, looking and feeling for any residual marks. Without being prompted I pushed the elastic waistband of my underwear down and let the briefs fall around my ankles so that he could work his way down to my bottom and legs without interruption. There was something about being handled and examined this way by this man that made my knees quiver. I was already getting hard. His palms were on my buttocks now, gently caressing and just slightly pulling them apart to get the best look at my anus. His fingers touched my inner thighs, my legs, down to the backs of my knees. God, this man’s touch gave me a thrill!

He turned me, stood slowly, ran his hands back up the front of me. He touched my scrotum, my hard penis, my stomach. He seemed to completely ignore my erection. I had goosebumps. Finally he was standing again, looking down into my blue eyes. He took me in his arms and kissed my deeply. Suddenly he slapped my bottom and laughed. “You’ll do” he said with a broad grin.

“Is Master satisfied with his purchase?” I asked innocently. “Master must be gentle with me. I’m only little.” I batted my eyelashes at him and he groaned and looked away.

“What's that for?” I asked.

“I came in here to see you, to make sure you were okay. Seeing you standing there in those cute little panties..... well, I wanted to see what's left of the mess we found you in. But I can’t......”

“Hey, why not?” I asked. I felt a bit foolish standing here with a raging hardon.

“You still need time to recover” he said. I was about to protest but he interrupted. “You and Sam fooling around is one thing. I'm...... well, a lot bigger than he is. I’m not risking hurting you. Not yet, anyway. There will be plenty of time for us to play master and servant.” He grinned and I did too. I reluctantly pulled my underwear back up.

“You're a tease” I said to him. He grabbed me and kissed me again, sliding his hands down the back of my briefs to squeeze my bottom.

“Takes one to know one” he said. “I can't believe how good you look. Lucus and his friends have done amazing work.”

I went to stand in front of a very large full length mirror. There were only two outward signs of what I had been through: the blemish on my arm by my shoulder where I had been branded and a tiny scar under my eye. I traced my fingers over them.

“The wound on your arm.... Lucus said he can remove the scar if you like, but he couldn't do that already because it needed to heal. The brand damaged the flesh, so that one was tricky. He removed the brand mark though, so if you decide to leave things be it passes for a birthmark.” Jonno said. He came over to me, to stand behind me.

“There are still some light marks here on your back and the backs on your legs if you look really carefully. Probably the soles of you feet, too. And I can just make out the scar here where the bottle went in.....” he touched my side, which was sensitive. I suddenly remembered being stabbed with the broken bottle. I had forgotten. I guess I was quite far gone by that point. “They are fading and they will eventually be gone completely” he said. “That area on you side will be sensitive for a while. It was a bad wound.”

I touched the scar under my eye again. “Lucus can remove that too, if you want,” Jonno said. “But I had him leave it for two very important reasons.”

I turned to face him. “Why?” I asked. I was curious. It didn't matter to me, but Jonno had that mysterious tone in his voice that always made me want to know more.

“Well......” he started. “The first and most important reason is to remind you. It’s a little thing, but it grounds you to who you are and how you got here. You might disagree of course, but I felt..... well, knowing you a little, I felt you would want that.” I smiled. He did know me. He was right, it was a reminder. Not just of the bad stuff, but it was a symbol of my journey. I had already decided to leave it; it was a tiny mark anyway.

“And the second reason?” I asked through my smile.

“That one was more selfish I’m afraid.” He said, now grinning down at me. I raised an eyebrow, curious.

“Ok..... it’s just you look super hot with a little scar under your eye.....” he said.

I burst out laughing. “Always the slave master!” I quipped. He grabbed me again and hugged me.

“Come on, get dressed. We’ll go see the sights. You could use some fresh air. And the smell of glorious freedom.” He laughed.

“See the sights?” I said and I pulled a face. We didn’t live in a bad city, but it was no picture postcard.

Jonno raised his eyebrows in realisation of something. “Ah, we may not have mentioned with everything else that went on yesterday!” He said. I was confused. “We’re in Switzerland, kiddo!” He said. “We flew here on Lucus’ private plane. This is his home and where some of the best doctors in the world practice. He wanted you here so he could oversee getting you better.”

My mouth hung open. “Switzerland?” I said, amazed. “My god, Jonno, you’re full of surprises!”

“Well, get moving then!” He said, ushering me along. “I’ll help you choose something that suits the weather. It’s early summer of course, and the weather right now is terrific. But if we go into the mountains you’ll need something warmer. Lucus says you need plenty of rest and plenty of exercise in good measure.“

“Mas.....” I said, slipping into my old habits. I sniggered. “Ok, Jonno.....” I corrected myself. “What happens next? I mean, I get well, we go back home...... but then what? I’m so happy right now and I don’t want to spoil that, but I've no home, no job, I guess school thinks I have quit by now and...... what happens next?”

Master smiled. It was one his ‘I know something you don’t know’ kinds of smiles. I found it both infuriating and comical at the same time.

“Ok, out with it - all of it - or I'm going back to bed and I'll never speak to you again!”

He grabbed me again, kissed me, toyed with me underneath the fabric of my briefs. “Fuck me” he said. “When you get that little frown on your forehead and your eyebrows meet in the middle and you’re all cross, you make me want to bend you over and spank that bottom so hard!” He kissed me properly this time. “Stop trying to turn me on. I will not sleep with you today!” I laughed out loud. The truth was, I'd have let this big man spank me and then fuck me as much as he wanted, but I knew by the look on his face that if I pushed him too far, too quickly, he’d simply take himself out of temptation’s way.

“Tell me then. Or I'll tie you down and lap dance for you. When they come to fetch you away to the lunatic asylum the only word you’ll be able to say will be ‘bottom’” I grabbed his crotch and winked at him.

“I’m serious, if circumstances were different, Craig would mysteriously disappear and you and I would run away together” he said, chuckling away to himself. “Especially as you’re rich!”

I looked up sharply. “I’m what......?”

He grabbed some clothes and threw them at me then went to sit in one of the comfortable armchairs. “Get dressed my slutty little toy boy” he said. “I’ll fill you in as you go.”

I began to hold up the clothes he’d selected to review his choices, and Jonno started to talk. “First thing is, Pavel and Arina have located the funds that were set aside for the murder of you and your brother. They have taken them and set up a fund for you. Pavel has added everything that you made for the organisation - every penny. So, I wouldn't worry about cash for the next..... well, the next few lifetimes.”

My eyes went wide. “For real?” I said.

“Yep.” He answered. “Of course, you’re also part of Pavel’s family and Arina wants to meet you properly. She’s the new head of the family. That means you really won't want for anything ever again, so you’ll probably never spend any of your own money anyway. And then there’s Craig.....”

“What about Craig?” I said. Every mention of him made me paranoid that I'd lose him somewhere along the way and every time I thought about his my chest got tight.

“If you two settle down, and believe me when I tell you that Craig has plans for you two to settle down, there’s another fortune to keep you in the manner to which I am sure you will become accustomed.” He wrinkled his nose and pulled a face. “In the end, you’ll just be some self-righteous rich kid. Disgusting!” We both laughed. “But seriously kiddo, there’s a lot of money behind you. Full disclosure? There’s a board meeting later this evening, to which you are invited. Pavel and Arina have a surprise or two in store for you, but I am not crossing her again so you’ll have to wait to hear about that.”

“Again?” I said.

“When we were kids Pavel and I were friends and secret lovers. Arina, who is only a couple of years older than Pavel, fancied me. We had a few…… fun times together. When I ran off with Pavel she was quite annoyed, to say the least. It’s part of the reason the family turned against us. Equally, me trying hard to get back in her good books was part of the reason they patched things up.”

“Ahh” I said. “The classic love triangle” I said with a grin. “So you're saying you led her on to satisfy that huge thing between your legs, then dumped her for her brother?”

Jonno was about to protest but he chuckled and just said “Mmmmm..... yes.”

He cocked his head to one side. “Listen, Jaimie” he said. I think it was the first time he used my name and it sent an incredible thrill up my back. “The world is your oyster. You can do what you want. You can work, or not. You have absolutely nothing to worry about and whatever you decide to do, there are people around you who love you and who will be there for you. We’re not going anywhere.”

I got a lump in my throat and I could feel my eyes welling up. It annoyed the hell out of me, but I couldn't stop it. “Love me.....?” I said, almost a whisper.

“Craig is in love with you, have no doubt about that,” he said. “Sam loves you too. If he tells me again that you two are best friends I'll take him hiking and push him off a mountain.” He grinned. “And I love you dearly. You’ve totally ruined me. My image as the tough guy of this organisation is shot!”

I laughed and cried at the same time.

“Pavel and Arina don’t know you well enough, but they’re your family and they will. And you’re so like them. You’re like your mother, actually. They will grow to love you. Honestly? Just about everyone you meet is on your side.”

I rushed to him and hugged him, tears of joy streaming down my face. A short lifetime of built-up worries about my future just dissolved away into nothing. I didn’t need to be wealthy, I just wanted good people around me and to know my future was secure. I hadn’t realised how much I had pushed my worries about my future to one side. The relief was like some incredible weight had been lifted and all of a sudden I felt like I could do anything.

He hugged me close and I think he even shed a tear or two. Not that he would ever admit that.

As all of my concerns faded away, I was left hugging this guy who had saved me, who had lost his temper and raged to find me again. I felt incredibly horny suddenly. I remembered the sex between us. I wanted to thank him. More than that, I needed him. I put my mouth to his ear and said “if you don't fuck me right here, right now, I'll never let you touch me again” he pulled back and started to protest. He tried to get up in a half-hearted way, but I was on top of him on the armchair and I wasn't moving.

“I think I know what I can take and what I can't” I said. “So you just sit right there while I practice my riding skills.”

I unfastened his trousers and freed his cock, which was getting harder and harder by the second. I had forgotten how big he was. Somewhere in the background he was still telling me that he dare not, but I had tuned him out. I felt fully in charge for the first time in my life.

I could’t wait. This was no time for foreplay. I pulled my briefs down just enough and I spat on my hand and rubbed the saliva into my ass crack. I got up on top of him. I straddled the armchair on my knees and brought myself down onto him. I wasn’t stretched out or used, but that was okay. I wanted to feel this. His head very slowly parted me as I bore down on him, desperate for him to be inside me. My anus stung a little, out of practice at opening so wide. I shifted my weight and wiggled my hips and his head popped in. Jonno was almost cross-eyed as his cock slid deep into my rectum and I let out a moan of sheer delight

“My god, is it possible you’re even tighter?” Jonno asked.

I giggled as I sank down on him, taking him all the way inside me. He flexed, pushing up to meet me. I was full in the most sensational way, his cock throbbing inside me. I had forgotten how big he felt when he was engorged like this. We kissed, his hands cupping my face and our tongues entwined the whole time. I rode him, getting faster and going deeper until he was right on the ragged edge. I leaned forward and whispered in his ear “Please Master Johns. Please finish inside me.”

He groaned as he lost all control. He shot into me. He kissed me deeply. He squeezed my bottom and he moaned. It was completely glorious and I loved every second.

As he finished and began to recover, he sat back in the armchair. “You..... you’re such a naughty boy” he said, breathless.

I sniggered. “I am the product of my training, Master” I said as I wiggled off of him. He threw me a smile and I kissed his forehead. “Thank you for that. I needed it. I needed to know I could still make the great Master Jonno lose it.”

“Well, let there be no doubt” he chuckled. “You’ve still got it, Super Sweet Sixteen!”

“Now I need to get clean again. Then we go out. Fresh air sounds good.” And I went to grab a quick second shower while Jonno sorted himself out. I paused in the doorway to my en suite bathroom and I stuck my bottom out, my hole pink and stretched and feeling hot. “If only there was someone who could scrub my back….” I said and I stepped into the shower.

Two minutes in, the shower door slid open. Jonno stepped into the flow of hot water, naked, closing the door behind him. “Screw it” he said. “I believe that Switzerland has fresh air in the afternoons, too” and he lifted me, his meaty hands grasping my bottom. I wrapped my legs around his body and he wrapped his arms around mine and he thrust his tongue into my mouth.

“I think you need another lesson from your old Master” he said through urgent kissing and touching as the hot water made my skin pink.

Who was I to argue? I thought. After all, I was a tame sex slave. 

To be continued.....

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