According to Evan and Damien it was fun to watch. They sat on the sidelines laughing and talking about my performance. When Bane wanted to show me something one of them would come forward and demonstrate. That was the only time they shut up all afternoon.

Kein and Christof occasionally stopped by to check on us. It appeared they were hunting down supper and getting it prepared. Christof was kind enough not to comment on my ineptitude and Kein just sighed.

The training didn't stop until nightfall. I was hot, dirty, and sore by the time it was over.

“Hannah was a better fighter than you are," Damien informed me casually as we ate.

I took a drink to avoid choking on my food. It wasn't clear how he knew that.

"The day she attacked us," Christof said. "We got a good look at her skill, she was quite talented."

I smiled and sent a silent thank you to the heavens. It relieved me to hear they thought she was strong.

After dinner we sat around and played a card game. I wore my new Linen nightdress for the second time. It felt nice and normal.

Looking around the table I saw my family, not my Masters. They had freed me, but protected me out of love. There was nothing I would not do for these men.

The nightly sex was no longer job; it was bonding. Every touch of skin reminded me how much we cared for one another. I found myself craving them as much as they craved me.

We spent four days at the cabin. I trained hard in the day. My muscles were sore, but it was a good sore. I didn't make a huge improvement, but I did get better.

“You could best a shopkeeper, perhaps," Kein said as we loaded the transport to ride home.

“A young shopkeeper," Evan amended.

“If he was unarmed," Damien added, lifting the last of our bags up.

I just stuck my tongue out at them. It wasn't my fault. I‘d never been trained like this before.

We zipped toward the compound and the men stood casually talking as Kein drove.

I looked back at the mountains and smiled. Hannah was somewhere out there. She was successful and it made me proud.

I asked Damien to talk to Nu-reeh, I'd Love to see her. He said he had already planned to ask, he was just waiting for their coupling. Satisfied and happy I rode back to the compound.

The long awaited coupling finally came for Damien and his Brothers. I hugged and kissed them all good-bye in our rooms. Before I was taken to their friends' I reminded them to ask about Hannah, Damien promised he would.

My men were gone an unheard of five days. The delay panicked me and my Keepers put the calming cream on me at least once. I feared they were gone for good.

I was with Rose's family when Damien and his Brothers finally returned. We had been in their apartment when my men entered the room. As soon as I saw my family I covered each of them in kisses and affection. They returned it, in a fashion, but something seemed to be holding them back.

We went downstairs to the alcove in the bathhouse and the men disrobed after removing my ornamentation. They were bitten and bruised. Surprisingly they also had whip marks on their backs