I was pissed at myself for yelling at Dragon. I was pissed at Dragon for yelling at me. I was pissed at the situation for causing this problem. But, most of all, I was pissed at the ring of truth and untruth in Dragon's comments.

I was not going to rape him, but I was going to seduce him. I did not force my slaves into sex, but I did make them all the same. Most of all, despite the fact that I was truly trying to help the boys I had taken into my care, I still felt dirty from the acts I was forced to perform in order to save them. Could my good intentions overshadow the horrible deeds I was forced to participate in?

It didn't help that, as soon as I entered the bedroom upon having the fight with Dragon, all eyes turned to me with concern and an innocent trust that made me nauseous. I wanted so badly to free my young slaves, and I felt almost as though I had failed them. It could take years to meet the Owner, and I doubted I could last one if I continued to feel as strongly for the boys as I did.

But how could I not feel this way? They were my subordinates, my partners, my guides, and my lovers. I relied on them for everything from how to act to what to wear, Heero especially. They had every reason to hate me, and yet the trusted me, perhaps even cared for me. And I could not deny that I loved each of them in turn. Perhaps not the love of a husband, nor that of a brother, but a love so strong and true that I doubted I could compare it to any other kind. It was a love born of trust and hope in a situation of desperation.

I sighed as I lay down next to Heero, who welcomed me into his arms. Quatre pressed his cheek against my back, and Trowa lay a hand over Quatre's hip to rest on my side. How could they not hate me, as Dragon did? How could they be so willing to accept me, after all they had been through?

But I could not begrudge any happiness they gained from me. I did not understand it, but I would rather bite off my own tongue than take it away from them. After all they had been through, that they could trust enough to find solace in each other and happiness with me was truly a compliment to their natures, and to the human soul.

I sat up, pulling Heeor with me, and the other two moved in closer, thinking I had something to say. Instead, I gave Heero a kiss on the lips, then Trowa, then one to Quatre on the forehead, for he and I had not become intimate yet, and I did not want to imply that I was forcing the issue. They looked at each other, confused I'm sure, as I settled back down into the bed, but eventually shrugged it off. Quatre and Trowa laid back down, this time with Quatre's back against mine, so that he could bury his face in Trowa's chest. Heero curled back into my arms, resting his chin against my chest as Quatre had. I loved to hold Heero like this, but I almost wished it were not so. With Quatre now with Trowa, soon to become lovers I was sure, it only made me see how reliant Heero was on me. But I was not an equal in his eyes, and so could never truly be a normal lover to him. He needed someone on his level, who was neither above or below him, to give him an equal respect and love. But I still had time to worry about that. For now I would merely enjoy having him in my arms, knowing that some day it would not be so.

Later that night, I awoke to a strange noise in the den, but ignored it. It could easily have been Dragon, and I couldn't take those accusing eyes. I curled closer to Heero, who was unaffected by the noise, but could not find sleep again. Those dark, brown orbs stared at me angrily from the deep recesses of my mind. Worse yet was when they looked up at me with hurt and fear. They haunted me, and if to do nothing more than banish them, I slipped quietly out of bed.

In the doorway, I heard a clatter and a thud from Dragon's room. Thinking he had stumbled in the darkness, I hurried to his room. No lights were on, which I had initially assumed was because he had not wished to wake the rest of the household, but there was a dim light coming from beneath his door. Someone mumbled angrily, but it didn't sound like Wufei's voice. The accent was wrong.

Warning signals went off in my head, and I sprinted the rest of the way, throwing open the door and striking on the light. The sight before me made my breath catch. Dragon was on his back, his eyes glazed, as a strange figure in black hovered over him, a dagger in his hand. The figure turned to me and grinned.

He was a beautiful man, of no more than thirty, with hazel eyes that glowed of madness. His hair was covered by a heavy hood, as was the rest of him. There was the outline of a collar in his clothes around his neck, and I had no trouble believing such a shapely person had been purchased, for he was well muscled in the shoulders, thin from the chest down, with long legs and strong thighs. And, accepting that he was a slave, I had no trouble believing also that he had gone mad under some sadistic master.

In a second, his grin disappeared and he rushed at me, holding the blade before him. I moved to the side and just barely missed being struck in the ribs. I shoved the man from behind, using his momentum to knock him off balance. He struck the wall beside the door and gave out a loud yell.

There was a thundering of feet from outside the room as the assailant rose, aiming his dagger for another strike.

"Trowa!" I yelled, "Keep Quatre in the room! Stay there!" I yelled, hoping they would heed my call. There was a flurry of confused, stumbling steps as the attacker next rushed me, but as I sidestepped easily I could hear two sets of footsteps retreating into the bedroom, then the closing of a door, while another carefully approached the room. Even though I wanted Heero to be safe, I knew I could use some backup, and I desperately wanted someone to check on Dragon. He had not moved since I had entered, and I could see a small river of blood coursing down the side of the bed.

If he was hurt...