Chapter 5 : ELEVATED

LUCA

I was already awake and eating when Chief Steward Maren came to see me the next morning.

"I heard you fainted last night," he started.

"The medicine made me feel woozy, master."

He nodded once. "My wife could not wait. Now she can't stop talking about you."

I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Now, you are going to put her out of your mind. We go to see Lord Kael."

When I heard those words, I could feel the whole world come crashing down on me like rain. But this was much more than rain. It was one hell of a flood. And it felt some someone had opened the gates of heaven just for that purpose.

I could not bring myself to move. What if he had another visitor for me to entertain? Because there was possibly no other reason as to why he would call on me.

"Move your ass!" the Chief Steward barked at me.

My meal was unfinished and my cup of water was halfway gone but those were the least of my problems. My legs finally moved, only out of more dose of fear. I followed Maren out of the room and through the cobblestone estate.

Soon, we reached the door and Maren knocked twice then opened it a bit and nodded at me to enter.

I did.

The door shut behind me and the room opened before my very eyes. It was exquisite and filled with luxury. I felt like my presence would stain the beauty of it.

The room smelled of roses and something sweet that I could not place.

That's when I saw him.

Lord Kael came out of an adjoining room wearing a robe and pants. He held a glass of dark wine in his right hand. The man was tall, about six foot tall and some inches apart.

The skin over his body was pale and smooth. His robe was open and I glimpsed a black scar that ran all the way from his chest to be the end of his torso. Last night I had seen him hard. My mind led itself to what could be hiding under his pants then I shook it off.

What a man!

His presence was commanding, and those icy blue eyes of his were sharp but gave out no hints. So I could tell he was observing me but didn't know what he was thinking. Probably judgment.

"My lord," I said, and dropped to one knee.

He came closer. "Did Maren not tell you the rules young man?" he asked, his voice deep.

I said, "I... I know the rules, my Lord."

"So why do you speak when you have not been spoken to?"

I wanted to pull my hair out. That was a mistake I should have avoided.

"I'm sorry, my lord," I carefully apologized.

Lord Kael stood there for some moments, probably thinking whether to kick me with his leg or not. Finally, he moved towards a couch and dropped into it. The bottom of his cup came to rest on a glass table. There was a vase beside with flowers in it. He picked a bottle from the floor and sprayed water on it.

"You know something I love about flowers?" he asked.

"No, my lord. I don't."

"They are loyal," he said. "They listen to the administrations they receive from me and act on it. When I want them to grow, they do grow. When I want them wither and die, that's exactly what they do. That is they same way I expect human beings to behave."

"Yes, my lord."

"Get to your feet."

I behaved and did as he ordered.

"Do you know why you have come here?" he asked. "Not to my chambers now, but to my estate?"

"Because my family is in debt to you, my lord."

"Yes, that is correct. It is the reason, but there is a more pertinent one. I like men, a lot. And everyone here can please me, and will please me."

That sounded like he was using us as his instruments for pleasure. He wasn't paying us anything, except for the fact that we were indebted to him. He just took care of us, fed us, put clothes on our bodies, and wanted pleasure in return.

"Yes, my lord."

"Now, do you know why you have been called to my chambers?"

I looked around. No visitor. "No, my lord."

"Because of what you did last night. And maybe I should say that I am impressed."

"Impressed, my lord? How do you mean?"

"Jumping in front of me to take that bullet," Lord Kael said. 'Not many slaves would do that. They all want to keep their sorry lives."

"We live to serve you, my lord."

"Face me. Don't look away."

I did as I was told. Our eyes met and there was that intense gaze again. The one that made me feel Lord Kael wanted to sleep with me.

Then he asked, "Why did you do it?"

"I... I don't know, my lord. I just reacted."

"Is it something you were seeking? Validation? Favoritism? Or was it preferential treatment?"

Why was he differentiating them when they all meant the same thing anyway?

I shook my head. "No, my lord, it was nothing like that. Maybe it was stupid of me to do so."

"Stupid, huh? How is your shoulder?" Lord Kael inquired.

"Dull, my lord."

"Was the doctor nice?"

"He was, my lord," I answered. But Maren's wife wasn't. Yet there was no need to tell him that.

Lord Kael stood up and closed the distance between us. He put one finger under my chin and leaned in to kiss me. I had never been kissed by a man before but I returned his kiss.

We finally broke and his icy blue eyes stared right into mine.

"What is your name?"

"Luca, my lord."

"Luca," Lord Kael said, as his fingers slipped into my pants. "I was filled with jealousy while you kissed that slave girl. Therefore, you will become my favorite companion and please me in ways that no one else can."