7

I rushed back into the room trying to close the door only to have it pushed open violently sending me to the floor. I groaned feeling my arm being pulled and I was yanked up and pulled against the wall. I could hardly take note of the hands being forced above my head by one hand. I was now staring up at the eyes of Alexander McAlister. He looked me over.

"Well well, it seems you are more to the so called Butcher then people let on." he said and I winced struggling against his hold. My he was strong.

"What do you want here?" I asked looking up at him. He chuckled darkly.

"Just here to send a little message…why are you here? Are you a whore to him?" he asked and I whimpered and looked away. If he was going to kill me then why hasn't he? I then felt his arm slide between my legs and I yelped a bit as his arm slid me up the wall so now I was eye to eye with him. "I asked you a question."

"I do not answer to you." I replied and he smirked.

"No you answer to your master." he replied and I shook my head ready to deny his statement when I saw him looking down his body and chuckling more. "Does your master make you this wet?" I gasped forgetting that my dream had aroused me a bit. And if Bill had gotten me this wet it wouldn't be by choice. I felt his arm push up between my legs rubbing my panties slowly with his arm. I groaned at the feeling.

"Please stop." I whimpered and he slowed his movements down and eventually stopped and I swallowed with relief.

"Now I'll ask again, lass are you a whore to the Butcher?" he asked and I shook my head quickly.

"No. I am a slave." I replied and Alexander looked up towards my neck.

"He put that collar on you." he assumed and I nodded.

"Yes." I replied and he sighed heavily and began to lower his arm letting my feet touch the ground now.

"Men are not born to be slaves to another." he told and suddenly began to release my hands, but kept one wrist in a tight vice. He then started to pull me towards the door.

"Wait what are you doing?" I asked.

"You're coming with me." he answered and my eyes widened and I pulled back.

"No. No I cannot go with you." I replied and he paused at the door and looked at me with a blank stare.

"I'm offering to liberate you and you refuse. Do you not wish to be free?" he asked and I shook my head.

"You cannot give me freedom. Only Bill can… he has taken me from a man already I will not let you do the same thing and cause further bloodshed." I said still pulling back from his hold. I then feel him pull me quickly into his body and he wrapped an arm around my back and the other held my face so I could only stare up into his eyes.

"You're a brave woman. I rarely see brave African's because men beat the bravery from their bodies… May I have the honor of knowing your name?" he asked almost in a purr. I was shocked by his words and I wasn't sure if I should give him my name.

"Angeni." I whispered and he smiled with content.

"Angeni, does it have meaning?" he asked and I nodded.

"It is an Indian word for spirit angel." I answered.

"Ahh so you are not full African, you are half Injun?" he asked and I nodded and looked down.

"Ah this would explain the hair and your eyes." he replied looking down into mine and his stare made me nervous. I knew too many men to not know what was in his eyes. Why they looked at me with such stares however was beyond me. I looked away now unsure of what he would do to me and he released me and left out the door and I heard movements coming from down stairs and soon silence. After hearing movement outside I knew they had gone. quickly moved from the room and ran down stairs and gasped. All the meat was gone yet nothing was broken or destroyed. I didn't understand any of this or what it meant. I slowly slunk to my knees and just sighed happy that I was not hurt. For if I was no one would care, no one would help, and most likely someone would try and end my life anyways.

I remained on my knees for lord knows how long until the door opened again and Bill walked in leading his gang shocked by the sight. Once he saw me on the floor he moved over quickly and grabbed my shoulders forcing me to stand. For once in the two years of knowing him he looked concerned and afraid.

"What the hell happened here?" Mcgloin asked and now everyone was rambling on. Bill was not concerned with the words that came from his men, but he just looked at my face and stared at me for the longest moment. Only I knew what happened and he could see it in my eyes.

"They hurt you?" he asked and now his hands pressed to my face and I felt somewhat at ease by his question. I gave the smallest of smiles and shook my head.

"I am fine." I replied and he only nodded pulling my head towards his and kissing my forehead letting his lips stay there for a moment before pulling back and looking down at me.

"Go to sleep. I shall be with you in a few minutes." he told and I nodded and moved back upstairs only wondering what was going to happen. Once I was in my room I got back in bed and just rested my head on my pillow.

"Those Scottish cunts want a war well the fucking got one!" I heard Bill yell and his men cheered in agreement and I only closed my eyes trying to block out their words. I awoke on my stomach with Bill snoring right next to me. He was on his stomach as well, one arm over my back. His face was not to me and I turned and looked out the window. The sky always looked grey. It never looked happy. I heard Bill start to stir and I looked at him to see him getting up and moving off the bed.

"Rise and shine." he said roughly. He was naked and began to pull on his pants and shirt. "Get dressed. We got some errands to run." I did as I was told and got up from bed and removed my gown. I then felt his arms wrap around me and I paused in my movements and looked over my shoulder at him.

"If anything were to happen to you, I'd have to kill a lot of people in order to be ideally better." he said moving my hair from my neck nuzzling his lips into it. Is mustache tickled me. I couldn't even determine if he really cared or not and I didn't ask lest I upset him. I should say something.

"You don't have to worry about me." I replied and I felt his arms pull me close and I felt his hands move up and slide over my breasts.

"I don't want to worry about you, but a part of me can't help it." he said and I let my body be controlled and in seconds he released me and sighed. "Get dressed."

I did as I was told and put on a green and black dress. I however did not wear my hair up. I just let it flow down today. I followed Bill from his room and we left the shop. I wondered what he would do today. Would he go after Alexander and his men? What of his shop. The Scottish Saints took his meat, how would he replace them? I followed behind him and his gang in silence. As we walked we passed the barber's shop again and I saw Monk standing out in front his shop staring down at us with his shillelagh in his hand. I wondered if he knew about the Scottish Saints or Alexander. His eyes connected to me and I stared up at him as we passed by him. His eyes moved to look down at Bill who was glaring up at him as well. As we reached the docks I was commanded to stay with Bill's gang while he spoke to the captain of the ship. I merely remained standing while Mcgloin moved to stand near me with a smirk on his face.

"You know what Bill's doing dontcha? He's ordering a bunch of pigs delivered..and lambs. Scotland is known for its lambs. We are gonna get them back very soon. No one messes with the Natives." he said and I looked at him now. He was no Native. I nodded.

"He will get them." I said and he nodded.

"Yeah he will." he said and turned back to his group. They were now yelling at some more Irish immigrants now. I remained to myself and just stood there. Then I felt something tugging at my dress and I turned and saw a little boy standing there. He had a dirty face and tattered clothes. He must have been poor. I looked at him with kind eyes. He then took my hand and began to pull me. Now you never knew if a boy is in a gang or not so you had to be careful. I wasn't sure if I should let him pull me away for if I left the protection of the Natives than anything could happen to me. But for some reason I let him lead me away from my only comfort zone.