Chapter 10

"What. The. Fuck." He repeated.

The blindfold was torn off. The light, blinding.

"-with you all," said the blurry shape.

"Simon," breathed Renee. Yes, that was his name, and voice, and-

He glanced at her angrily and she wilted in his arms.

"I'd have thought you at least knew better, Troy," he continued. "Or was it 'Puppy'? For fuck's sake, you're no better than they are."

Renee glanced at the only other male in the room. Troy was a slender, feminine man. His full lips were pulled back in a defensive snarl.

"Get off your high horse, Si. We didn't force her to do anything. She wanted it." He glanced at the small crowd surrounding them. "Didn't she?"

A few murmurs of agreement to the question, but none loud enough to meet Simon's rage.

"That means nothing and you know it," he growled. "Emilee sent a new syn, barely a week out of a tank, down here, with a program that's fucked us all up before- and you took advantage of it?"

"She'd have to learn sometime."

"Learn what? That everyone here's a goddamn monster? That syns don't even try to be human?"

"She said we could," Troy protested, but he had lost and he knew it. Any support he had held was rapidly slipping into the shadows. "She was a present."

Simon stood, lifting Renee as he did so. "You knew better," he said softly. "You all did." He walked to the man and held out a hand.

"What, want her for yourself?" sneered Troy.

He stood alone.

Simon just waited.

Troy glared at him for a moment, then abruptly dropped the remote to the floor and stomped to two women in a corner, his back pointedly turned.

Simon sighed and bent to pick it up, careful not to drop her.

" ... I can walk," she suggested tentatively, afraid he might still be mad. "I'll walk if you want me to."

"Yeah," he said, not looking at her. "But it's slow going with a thing in your ass." He trudged to the entrance, glanced into the dining room, and found it empty. They soon reached the stairs and he took a deep breath. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

Renee didn't say anything more, though her hope briefly flared when he carried her into her room.

He wants me.

But Simon bypassed the bed and headed straight into the bathroom. He gently set her in the tub, removed the collar, and then turned on the water.

Renee gasped as the icy droplets hit her skin.

"W-why-" she began, teeth chattering.

He gripped the edge of the bath, and looked intently into her eyes. "How do you feel, Renee?"

"Cold," she said. "Please make it warmer, Simon. S-sir."

An emotion she couldn't identify crossed his face; he slapped the controls and turned away.

"I'll be back soon," he said quietly, facing the door. "Don't go anywhere."

He didn't give her the time to retort that of course she wouldn't move- her hands were pinned under her back, and the slick tub would have made getting to her feet dangerous.

The hot water rinsed away the leftovers from the other syns. She half-regretted it; that was her only memento of their time together. But, maybe, if she were clean, Simon would take her.

He returned with a towel and shirt. One of his.