Sarah's scream echoed through the entire apartment.
A raw, instinctive, animal cry.
She shot upright, breath ragged, heart slamming against her ribs like it wanted to break free.
Her gaze dropped slowly.
Underwear.
Bare skin exposed to the cold air.
Then she felt the weight.
The heat.
She looked down further.
Rhym.
Lying on top of her.
Completely naked.
His arm rested across her stomach. His head against her chest. His tail slid along her thigh.
For a second, her brain refused to process the image.
Then the anger surged.
"GET OFF!"
Her voice cracked like a whip.
Rhym jolted violently, ears flattening against his skull. He scrambled back immediately, almost falling.
He didn't even try to cover himself.
He obeyed.
Always.
"I… I'm sorry…"
His hands were shaking.
The noise alerted the others.
The door burst open.
Daki stormed in first, massive and imposing, her orc fangs slightly visible beneath her curled lip. Jaël followed, long red strands framing his worried face behind his glasses.
They froze.
Sarah in her underwear.
Rhym naked, flushed with shame, trembling.
The silence turned thick.
Daki spoke first.
"What the hell is this?"
Sarah ran a hand through her short hair.
"I don't know. I woke up like this."
Daki slowly turned her head toward Rhym.
Her gaze turned icy.
"Did you touch her?"
The boy shook his head frantically.
"No! I didn't do anything!"
His voice cracked.
Daki took a step forward.
"Filthy beast…"
Jaël raised an arm to stop her.
"Wait. We don't know anything yet."
Daki growled.
"We know how they are. Instincts. Urges. That's why they're kept under control."
The words hit harder than any slap.
Rhym lowered his eyes, unable to meet their stares.
Jaël grabbed a sweater from the bed and held it out to him.
"Put this on. And explain."
His fingers trembled as he took the garment.
He swallowed hard.
"Last night… she was drunk. I was a little too. We were sleeping in the same bed. She… she moved closer…"
Sarah stayed perfectly still.
"Keep going."
Rhym clutched the fabric against himself.
"She started pressing against me, then pulled off my clothes to look between my legs and began masturbating me until I moaned and came, which worked. When she saw my first ejaculation, she decided to climb on top of me and have sex with me."
His voice grew weaker.
"I was taught never to refuse. To obey. To never upset a client. Even if… even if I didn't want to."
The silence cracked.
Jaël slowly turned to Sarah.
"Is that true?"
The tomboy's face remained closed.
Impassive.
"I don't remember anything."
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't comforting either.
Daki lost it.
"He's lying!"
She shoved Jaël aside and slapped Rhym across the face.
A sharp crack echoed.
The boy staggered.
Blood trickled from his lip.
Jaël shouted.
"DAKI!"
He grabbed the orc by the arm.
"Enough!"
Daki was shaking with rage.
"We give him back to his owner. We tell them he abused her and lied. Problem solved."
At those words, Rhym collapsed.
His shoulders began to shake.
Tears fell freely.
"I'm innocent… please…"
Sarah watched him.
Not as a slave.
Not as merchandise.
But as someone who had learned to survive by disappearing.
She took a step forward.
Against all expectation, she wrapped her arms around him.
He froze.
She felt his body tremble against hers.
"I believe you."
The words came out on their own.
The boy stayed still for a second.
Then his sobs quieted.
Daki stepped back, stunned.
"You're taking his side?"
Sarah lifted her eyes.
"Yes."
The silence turned freezing.
Daki left the room.
Jaël hesitated, then followed.
Sarah stayed alone with Rhym.
She sighed.
"I have to go to class. Tonight, I'll talk to your boss. You won't be punished for this."
He nodded, unable to speak.
At university, the atmosphere was heavy.
Daki ignored Sarah.
Jaël stayed quiet, clearly troubled.
Then two figures joined them.
Yuri, translucent wings folded behind her back, mischievous smile.
Doloress, the shy elf, avoiding eye contact.
"There's tension in the air…" Yuri murmured.
Before they could explain anything, a shout drew attention.
A massive student was holding a beast-woman by the arm.
"You're made to satisfy our sexual desires, you filthy whore! Stop playing hard to get!"
The young woman struggled.
"Let me go!"
Students watched.
No one intervened.
Sarah felt something burn in her chest.
She stepped forward.
"Let her go."
The man sneered.
"Mind your own business."
He didn't finish.
The first punch came fast.
Then a second.
Then a third.
He crumpled to the ground.
Sarah leaned over him.
"They don't owe you anything."
The silence that followed was heavy.
But respectful.
That evening, they returned home.
The apartment looked unrecognizable.
Everything tidy.
Cleaned.
The table set.
A hot meal waiting.
Rhym appeared shyly.
"I was taught to take care of the house…"
He avoided their eyes.
Jaël observed the scene.
"We could keep him."
Daki crossed her arms.
"No. He goes back where he belongs."
They took him back to the club.
The owner was waiting.
A towering demon, red eyes glowing in the dark.
At the sight of Rhym, his expression changed.
His hand rose.
Sarah stepped in front.
"I rented him for the night."
She placed money on the counter.
The demon's smile stretched wide.
He grabbed Rhym by the neck and yanked him close.
The boy winced in pain.
Sarah clenched her fists.
"How much for a month?"
The demon laughed.
"10,000 €. He's my best merchandise."
Merchandise.
The word hung in the air.
Sarah held his gaze.
"I'll be back tomorrow."
She turned on her heel.
Behind her, Rhym watched her leave.
Between hope.
And resignation.
And for the first time, Sarah understood one thing:
It was no longer a question of pity.
It was a silent war.
And she had just stepped into it.