Yet I can't stop thinking about it.
It doesn't help that I bathe him every night with a towel, and it gives me a bird's eye view of his big, strong body. That I rub all over him and get a chance to appreciate his sweaty, muscle-covered frame. It sure doesn't help that he gets turned on every time and that loincloth of his tents up.
This is exactly what our captors want, of course. They want Crulden fucking me and attached to me because it makes him controllable. He's been a model gladiator (well, with the occasional neck-snapping of a clone) since they introduced me. All this attraction to him is making me crazy, though, and I worried they put something in my food. I wouldn't put it past the scientist. After all, they're constantly shooting Crulden up with “supplements” and nanobots to enhance performance. Why not a little bedroom incentive?
For two days straight, I decide I have a “craving” for the slave food and get myself servings from the communal paste. I don't touch Crulden's delicious food, which he finds strange, even when he offers it to me. At the end of two days, though, I feel the same, and I have to conclude that no one's drugging me to be horny.
I'm…just horny.
My libido has been in hibernation ever since I was stolen. It's picked a hell of a time to wake up.
It also colors how I act around Crulden. I try not to watch him too closely when he trains (even though there's nothing else to watch) because I don't want to give the scientist ideas. He shows up a few times a week to watch the training for a while, and today, in particular, he stands next to me and makes notes about Crulden in his little electronic pad. I wish I read alien languages, but it looks like nothing but squiggles to me. The day's a steamy one, the jungle fresh off of a morning rainfall, and the air is thick and humid. Crulden's dripping with sweat as he wrestles with another gladiator—this one a gray-skinned man that looks like a cross between a turtle and a human, with a bit of rhino thrown in. I can't help but stare as sweat trickles down Crulden's broad back when he flexes, and it's making me all kinds of uncomfortable to stand here amidst a group of clone guards and the scientist and feel like this.
The scientist shoots a look over to me. "What do you think of his training?"
"Why are you asking me? I don't know anything about gladiators." I keep my tone light, even though I want to turn and kick him in the shins.
"You seem very interested."
"There's literally nothing else for me to do. I'm his pet, remember?"
The scientist smiles thinly at me. "You still belong to Lord Sir. You are just on loan to keep Crulden happy."
Great. "Maybe don't say that in his earshot or you might lose another clone."
"Have you copulated with him yet?"
I stare in horror at the scientist. "Excuse me?"
He lifts his chin, nodding at Crulden. "You're there to make him happy. Have you copulated?"
Even if we had, the last person I would tell would be this asshole. I cross my arms over my chest and take a deliberate step away from him. "None of your business."
"That's where you are wrong. I was brought here specifically for Crulden." His smile is bitter. "Everything pertaining to him is my business, and you're not answering the question." The scientist studies me, his head tilted. "Do I need to schedule you for a medical exam to find out the truth or are you going to tell me?"
A medical exam? For that? I can just imagine how utterly invasive he'd make it, and I shudder, taking another step away. "No, okay? Nothing yet."
"Mmm. Lack of interest on his part?"
I stammer, trying to think of a way to answer him without getting into too much detail. I'm not about to tell him about our polite agreement for no rape, that the ball is in my corner, because they would absolutely figure out a way to force me into it. Chills move over me despite the hot day and I rub my arms. "It hasn't come up, all right?"
"Mmm," the scientist says again. "That might be a residual effect from the medications he was on. I'll have to see if we can tweak that."
Before I can reply, Crulden tosses his heavy opponent into the sand as if the huge monster rhino-turtle-man weighs nothing. He storms over to us, his eyes reddening with anger. "Why do I smell her fear-scent?"
And he heads directly for the scientist.
"Stop him," the scientist yelps at me, taking a step backward.
Shit. This is my cue. If he loses control, we're both going to suffer. I immediately step forward and put my hands on Crulden's sweaty chest, stopping him in his tracks. "Hey, hey," I say softly. "Calm down. Your eyes are going red."