“Seems as if our little cows know each other,” Vrokjan chuckles. “At least they're friendly. That will certainly make things easier.”

The other Rancher runs his hand over my friend’s head and offers me a slight smirk. “My apologies for snapping at your cow.” He then turns to me. “How do you two know each other?”

Before answering, I look up at Vrokjan, making sure it’s okay to speak.

“When you’re in either of our presence, as long as no other cows are able to hear, you may speak.”

I wet my lips, thrilled to be able to use words and hear my friend for the first time. “We met each other on the ship. She was kind and offered me comfort. I didn’t feel so alone.”

The other cow shuffles a bit and looks up at her Rancher. At his nod, she also speaks. “Fiona,” she whispers, a Scottish lilt making her voice sound musical. “And I’m glad to have a friend.”

The Ranchers grin, the smiles so large it makes their eyes crinkle. Of course, they’d be happy about this. I, on the other hand, feel ill knowing the only comfort I’ll have is with a stranger who’s in the same boat as I am.

“Now then,” Vrokjan interjects. “You said you have to pee.”

Without any preamble, he takes me a little further away from the road, into some taller grass. Glancing back at the vehicle, I watch the other woman as they crane their necks, desperate to see what’s happening. I don’t blame them.

If I were in the same position, I’d want to know too. I can’t prepare if I don’t know what’s coming. Heat infuses my cheeks as I look away. Just because I’d do the same doesn’t mean I enjoy being a spectacle.

Off to the side, Fiona’s Rancher does the same, leading her a bit away from me. At least we don’t have to watch each other go to the bathroom. That would somehow make it all the more mortifying.

Vrokjan hunches down next to me and holds up my tail, putting pressure on the inside of my asshole. A soft whine claws at my throat as I pull forward, desperate to get away from the sensation. All it does is make it worse.

“Come now,” he murmurs, stroking my breastbone. “You said you needed to relieve yourself.”

I look around, still dismayed that others are watching. After a moment or two, he gives me a stern look. “This is your life now, Jessica. You might as well get used to it. Now pee so we can get back on our way.”

Biting down on my lower lip, I do my best to force it out, not wanting to drag out this humiliation much longer. But of course, nothing happens. Again, my body betrays me.

“You didn’t lie to me, did you?” he growls. “Because I’ve been trying to be lenient with you, give you time to acclimate to this new world. But I will not tolerate lying.”

Coming up behind me, he slides his fingers over my pussy, teasing the delicate skin for a moment. The soft moan is soon transformed into a sharp yelp as he smacks me hard. The sting and burn ricochet through my brain, short-circuiting it for a moment.

“Do you really need to pee?”

“No,” I mumble, misery lancing through me.

“Then what were you doing? Why did you seek to gain my attention?”

I blink up at him, not sure what to say. If I tell him the truth, I’ll be punished. If I lie and he finds out, I’ll be punished. Either way, it’s a no-win situation.

His face softens as he brushes hair out of my eyes. “I can’t read your thoughts, but it’s clear you’re facing a dilemma. Allow me to assist. Even if I don’t like the truth. Even if it means I punish you. Lying to me will get you an even bigger punishment. Know this. Learn this.”

“I was trying to see how loud I had to be for you to hear me,” I blurt out. “I wasn’t sure if soft sounds were audible.”

He stands up, his expression thoughtful. “Were you wishing to talk to the other cows without us hearing?”

My face crumples. Of course, he’d figure it out. Am I really so transparent?

With a soft chuckle, he picks up the lead and tugs me forward. “Antroli. Did your cow relieve herself?” Fiona ducks her head, red staining her cheeks.

“No. She didn’t want your cow out here alone. I have a feeling these two will be trouble.” However, as he says it, there’s no anger in his voice or face.

If anything, he seems amused, as if we’re just two wayward children getting into scrapes. It sends a frisson of irritation down my spine to know they consider us so inconsequential. I don’t know anything about Fiona yet, but I sure as hell am not even close to being childlike.

I’m an accomplished career woman whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And just like that, as if my mind slams its way back into the past, I remember my mother. I remember why I was in that house in the first place.

Tears dot my eyes as I shuffle behind Vrokjan. How could I forget? How could I ever let her memory drift away like that? Guilt slams into me as he lowers the ramp so Fiona and I can go back in.

Climbing in after us, he looks at the other women, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m sure by now you’ve been informed of the rules concerning speaking and mooing. I will not go over them again. But I do wish to clarify that you may speak with each other as long as another Rancher cannot hear you. Though we are more lax than other Ranchers, we will not budge on this. Jessica has already demonstrated the volume at which we will hear you.”

Both Ranchers close the back of the vehicle and walk to the front. Stunned, we all look at each other with one question burning in all of our minds. Did he just give us permission to talk to each other?

I wait until the low hum of their engines starts again before sliding my glance over at Fiona. She huddles over in the corner of our stall, making herself as small as possible. Somehow, she’s able to fold up her long legs in a way that turns her into this tiny thing.

As much as I would like to join her, I find nothing is comfortable. The grace she has manages to elude me. Crawling next to her, I try sitting like normal. But that makes the tail sit weird, putting pressure on the plug.

Reaching between my thighs, I pull it forward, and that works somewhat. I don’t like knowing I’ll be getting arousal on it. What if it’s not easy to clean? I don’t want to have some wet, sticky thing between my thighs all day.

With a huff, I lie on my side. It’s the most comfortable so far. Maybe at the Ranch House there will be somewhere else besides just piles of hay. Probably not. They’ve done everything in their power to turn us into cows, so why would they give us a bed?

Moments go by like hours, but soon Fiona slides her arm out to me, a slight smile on her face. I wrap my arm around hers and hold on, peace settling in my chest at that small bit of contact. All around us, the women stay silent even though we’re allowed to speak.

But honestly, what is there to say? Sorry things suck so bad? It’s not like we can really plan a revolution or anything. At least I can’t. My body shakes as fatigue settles back into my limbs.

Whatever Nagán gave me in the milking barn is quickly evaporating, leaving me a quivery, weak mess. How can I fight these beings when I can’t even seem to hold my head up? With a soft sigh, I nestle my head against a small pile of hay and allow my eyes to drift closed.

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CHAPTER 14

OceanofPDF.com

VROKJAN

I look in the mirror as I drive forward, a frown tilting down my lips. Even though I’ve given all the cows permission to speak with each other, their mouths refuse to move. With a sigh, I glance over at Antroli, watching as his gaze keeps going back to his Highland.