“Yes, Master Damien, I will not speak my family's secrets."

I wasn't counting, so I lost count of the stinging blows to my most personal area.

Like a parrot I repeated the required phrase each time. The lesson was burning into my brain. The men were right. I would learn.

My eyes ran with tears but I watched Damien as he dealt each painful blow. There was absolute control in his motions. His left hand, his best hand, gave me pain without injury.

I maintained consciousness until the last strokes. Bane opened my lower lips and Damien lay the lash quickly and repeatedly over my poor clit. The pain was too great. Blackness stole into my vision, but I heard myself whisper the assigned words before I passed out.

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around and realized I was in the bedroom. I had been moved off the punishment table. It was gone and I was stretched out on the bed. That's not to imply I was comfortable where I was. My legs and my cunt throbbed and burned with fiery intensity. For all it mattered I could still be strapped to the floating table taking my punishment.

The hum of voices was soothing, which was in sharp contrast to the searing pain my awakening mind was experiencing. Opening my eyes fully I saw all my men were seated on assorted chairs. They rested comfortably around the room. Everyone was in their Linen shift and they were discussing their schedule for the coming lunar cycle.

When the men saw me Looking they started to extinguish the lights in the room. Evan helped me sit up and Kein let me sip on some water. Damien told me it was time to rest and complimented me on taking my punishment well. I was a strong member of the family. He hoped his time had not been wasted and I had learned my Lesson.

“Master Damien?" I whispered hesitantly as he came to Lay beside me. "I hurt, Master."

For once Damien didn't seem unduly interested in my pain.

“I know you do," he said stroking my arm before I could pull it away. "You earned this with your behavior. Be good and let us rest tonight. We hope by morning you will have Learned this well enough."

“But, Master, I love you...please," I begged touching his hand tentatively.

“You must learn control to be a good Sister for us," Damien said simply. "We will fix it after you have learned.”

I relaxed onto the bed and felt the covers drawn over me. I hissed softly when the blanket dipped between my Legs to brush the fiery flesh there. Fighting for self control I tried to ignore the burn. The men respected pain tolerance and it took all my energy to have that.

I could see they were decided. When an idea was as firmly fixed in their minds as this one was, it would not be easily undone. I was unclear if they were angry at me or just believed it would take that much pain for me to understand. Pain was associated with lessons; I should have known that about them. Either way they would let me suffer until morning.

The men's breathing evened out quickly. I lay still quietly staring at the ceiling.

What would happen, I wondered, if the slaves told their men the truth on a grand scale?

Some of the men might dismiss it, but I imagined others would seek out more information. The men were happy the way things were, in a way. The truth would only serve to make them miserable.

And thanks to me and my big mouth, that was a real possibility.

I should not have told the truth to the other slaves. There had been valid options. I could have lied or just gone with the story Nu-reeh concocted. All they had to hear was I ran away and my child didn't survive. No one would have asked questions after that.

My family was correct. I'd made a horrible mistake. The compound would suffer for this. My men may suffer for this.

I lay quietly and watched the moons run through the sky outside. At some point I must have drifted into a light sleep. Dreams of the men burning their compound in anger woke me up.