As soon as she opened the door, Jackson stood outside with a hand extended towards her, holding a fancy golden envelope.

Raising a brow at him, Anya took the envelope, opening to find a dinner invitation inside.

Although she was expecting something minimalistic and classy, the simple and casual card also had a surprisingly neat effect.

4 slaves of her choice. Slaves. They really want to emphasize on their position.

"Huh? Why such a formal invitation for dinner?" She mumbled. "Although after what went down with Wilson, a little pandering to my ego was expected."

Letting go of the invitation card she looked towards Jackson who appeared equally as lost about the proceedings as she was. She turned towards the group huddled around her "Pre ceremonial Dinner?"

"This is less of a dinner and more of an opportunity for the maste.... The people spending their money. The entire purpose of the evening is to show off their purchased, owned slaves. A display of possessions" Yoongi said in a voice devoid of any emotions from behind her, still a bit closed off, hurt.

Registering the way Yoongi caught himself from calling anyone else masters, Anya turned around to look at him, "Explain display?"

"We are usually shown and displayed. To maybe their associates or friends." A little pause of hesitation, clearing of throat before continuing, "The purpose is to try to make the other owners jealous. We hybrids know it. This dinner we are usually kept on our knees to service our owners or any friends they choose to pass us to, in case they request for our... skills." Came a tamed down answer from Seokjin.

Anya understood what service and skills he was indicating.

Pausing yet again she asked "Jealous?"

Jin nodded "Jealous."

"The motivation for the entire evening is this Master." Namjoon contributed to the crash course she was taking about the auction widely known to all the rest. "The dinner is to make other owners want what they own so they can easily covet their pets. Usually one or two hybrids per person is bought. As such according to the rules, one cannot touch another hybrid without the express permission from the owner. So if a person who wants to use an owned hybrid wants the owner to let them have the hybrid, they need to make that person want his." He explained.

"Like a barter system."

Barter.

Like commodity.

"Its mainly for the ceremony though. So that you would know who to pick, for the Marking of slaves." Yoongi said calmly. This time he was again leaning back on the wall with his eyes closed, completely comfortable in patiently explaining to his Master in how deeply and thoroughly exploited they had been and were going to be, in his deep voice.

His posture and acceptance screamed to Anya about the level of degradation they saw as their fair share. Her hybrids found this NORMAL. They found it the most NORMAL thing in the world for them to be treated as objects for the pleasure of other humans.

It was true that the society they lived on had indeed normalised it.

But victims of the unfairness were still supposed to protest. Were still supposed to fight to show to the world about the wrongness of the situation.

Here, the victims did not even know any other way of living without them being victims. They accepted it as an established fact.

The sun rises from East :- Fact

If I am a hybrid, it means I am a slave and deserve to be treated like one. :- Fact.

Right now, at this moment, there was nothing she could do to make them see the light. These things would take time and a place called home.

Right now, she needed to worry about getting through the dinner and learning more about this ceremony for later. Not that she or her hybrids were not safe.

No.

More like she did not want to be losing her hold on her emotions or temper resulting in a case of real damage to the life of anyone inciting those emotions in her.

"Marking of slaves?" Jackson asked from behind her. She knew he was keeping a keen ear on their conversation. "That conjures up images from any imagination that I am kind of praying not to be true." His voice joking while still being serious.

Yes, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Marking of slaves made her think that it could be a literal marking.

God knows she did not want to know with what the marking would be made with.

"It's the highest honour we can receive out of the various marks."

Anya jerked in surprise towards the voice, seeing him looking down from his position, deepest in the bedroom still.

"It is a sign of being owned by only one Master. Or that the ownership is for life. The best mark would be the promise a master would make for not sharing her slave. Every hybrid wants that mark." Taehyung completed his statement with a small smile.

Every single soul in the room went silent.

Humans or Hybrids.

Different reasons ruled the cause of their individual silence but Anya only knew hers.

She was worried. Not worried because of the statement containing disturbing scenarios. No, she was disturbed by the Pure Reverence in Taehyung's voice.

He wanted that. He wanted that disturbing thing to happen to him.

She could not deal with this now.

She needed more information, more knowledge. And it was clear that, that information had to come from someone who could be factual about it and not, worshipful.

"The dinner invitation is extended to only 4 of you. Right now with what I just learned, I have no intention of bringing Taehyung and Jungkook in that room." Saying this she turned back to Jackson who had an alert expression, "I want 4 guards to stay here with them posted outside the door."

"It will be done." Came the crisp reply.

"But I don't want the both of you staying alone either." she murmured, almost to hherself, but knowing that the hybrids could hear her.

She could bring 4 hybrids to a dinner that would be less centralised on the providing cuisine and more focused on different sexual scenarios of the hybrids along with fair amount of subjugation.

As such, taking both the Cobra and the Python hybrid was a given. They would not be affected by the need to submit.

Next would be someone who would fill her in on the Ceremony to come along with all the details associated with it. Judging by the lack of conversation about the pre ceremonial dinner from the snake hybrids, they did not much know about it.

So she needed someone level headed and also someone who would not baulk at the idea of doing the exact opposite of what would be happening in the hall. Which meant : Jin.

"Namjoon, can you stay with them? I also need someone they trust to be keeping an eye on them here." I said

Namjoon nodded without any hesitation.

Now, to deal with the Jaguar.

Something she had said earlier seemed to have gotten to him. So now the decision she was going to declare would maybe not endear her to him.

Well, as I said, I'll deal with this too later.

"Yoongi."

His dark gaze found hers instantly. Looking at her, he slowly straightened from the wall and flexed his neck side to side. His eyes flickered to her lips. He stared at them as he slowly swiped his tongue over his own.

Flicking his gaze back to her eyes, he said in a voice which felt deep within her "Where do you need me?"

"Here in this room."

As expected, expression yet again became blank. With Yoongi, his change in emotions were better portrayed by the lack of them.

She continued, "I don't know how many people and what kind of a gospel Seojin has spieled about you. If Wilson was any indication, she might have provoked quite a few to get her some attention. I need to assess that without being worried about your safety for now."

At the Yoongi appeared surprised. He had not thought about that aspect at all.

Not giving him any time to respond she instructed Jackson again "Get them their dinner. Anything that they want. I'll ask Peter to relay to you the end of dinner, so that you can bring them to me before the ceremony."

One nod.

Closing her eyes, she bent her head.

Anya felt a little disoriented. In this game she was playing, all the players were experienced. They knew the rules to every interaction while here she was still trying to find out the contents.

She wanted different things, things that were completely opposite of what this auction stood for but she kept finding herself out of depth due to the lack of details. While everyone here worked or was associated in some manner to her. Her family or the business.

She could NOT appear weak.

She felt a light touch on a strand of her hair, someone lifting a lock of it, only to gently put it back in place. She opened her eyes to see concerned silver eyes. Jimin was gently playing with her hair.

"Master, you are looking beautiful." He said simply, sincere in his comment.

"Like a Goddess" Hoseok said softly. Somehow she knew that she was not meant to hear that, so she tried not to acknowledge it.

But she couldn't deny herself the sliver of pleasure she felt zinging through her at those praises. Which was odd because usually these silly comments were a norm for her.

Dressed for the ceremony, she was wearing a silver evening gown, which draped itself over her body in a fit that felt as if her second skin. The gown teased her figure, highlighting her ample curves while lending a sheerness to her frame as her skin colour was visible.

Her hair was swept in a updo, low on her nape in a intricate bun with small diamonds weaved through the dark strands. She had locks of hair falling carelessly along her face, framing it in a manner which made her look even more feminine.

She was dressed to distract.

She was dressed to seduce.

She dressed in that manner because she needed people to remember.

Remember her, and her hybrids. Tonight was about making a statement.

An unforgettable one.

"Thankyou Jimin" she smiled up to his still concerned eyes and watched him return that warmth. He smiled with her too.

"Its high time we leave. Jin, you need to tell me everything about the ceremony." Saying so, she twirled about after giving Namjoon a last look, and went through the door, Jimin, Hobi and Seokjin accompanying her into the evening.

They reached the foyer when they were directed towards a long corridor to a part of the Mansion she had not been in yet. Peter and another of her brother's security guard tailing them, they reached a spacious waiting room filled with people.

On the opposite end of the room was a desk, where a woman was checking a list for all the guest gathered there.

Within a few minutes, the door beside the desk would open for the waiter to come out, greet a guest and escort them personally inside along with their hybrid.

They paused by the door as she took in the scene.

The men and women had gathered around, laughing and talking amongst themselves, wearing their silks and suits. The women in their almost there gowns. With both of their hands occupied, they talked animatedly with each other, seeming to make a point of trying to draw as many as possible in their conversations.

All had a drink in one hand or a cigarette while the other held on tightly to the leash.

She looked at the place, taking it all in dispassionately. Bothering or giving into her moral compass right now would be of no benefit to either her, her hybrids or them.

Them.

The leashes in every hand was connected to the collars all hybrids wore. There were male and female hybrids about. Different sets of ears atop their dark heads indicated their breeds.

Every single hybrid was seated on the floor near their owners. Heads down, backside up. Every single hybrid sat or stood on all their fours. Like an animal.

When their leashes were tugged, they crawled to where their owners wanted to go on all fours.

Vacant expression on their faces, all the hybrids were naked.

Pausing to take it all in, she looked on as she saw one owner casually reach down to grasp the breast of a cheetah hybrid sitting by his feet. He kept talking to the man next to him with his own hybrid. The man squeezed the cheetah hybrid's breast in a merciless manner, getting excited in the rough treatment. Then he roughly grasped on to her tender nipples and twisted them viciously.

He continued his conversation with his friend, not looking down at the girl, as he dug his nails on the soft tender flesh hard then let go of the breast only to slap it with his palms with a force that made the sound wash over the room.

The hybrid's breast was now bright red with nail marks embedded in them.

All the while that hybrid, kept quiet. She simply kneeled down and let her owner do what he pleased with her body. Not a single sound came from her at the rough abuse, expressionless face seemingly not feeling any pain.

"You got a good hybrid there. She hardly flinched. Or maybe you were just not that hard enough." His friend said to the man who had the cheetah hybrid.

"No she is just that good. Go ahead. Give her a try. She wont make any sound."

"Really? Okay, step back."

Anya saw the friend stepping up towards the cheetah hybrid and forcefully tilting her face to him. Then without a warning, he slapped her face with a ferocity that made the female crash violently on the floor, having received the blow.

But she quickly got back to the same position, sitting and kneeling down before him, her breasts and cheeks now bright red.

"Thank me for hitting you, you dumb bitch!" the man snarled.

"Thank you master for hitting me." Came the prompt reply devoid of any emotions.

The man spit on her.

"Good girl. Let that spit remain in your face. That is your reward. You are worthy enough to carry my spit."

Then turning to his friend he said, "Damn, you got a good one. It will be fun to see how far we can go with her to finally make the slut cry."

"I know! I will have good fun with her. Join me afterwards." Her owner said in an excited manner.

The hybrid listened to it all but did not react.

Was she even understanding what they were saying? What they would do to her? How was she so calm?

"That is how we are supposed to behave. Its partly the conditioning and partly our own choice." Hobi whispered to her from behind, having rightly judged the question in her eyes.

Feeling cold after witnessing the scene, she asked him, appalled, "Choice? Why would you choose this?"

Hobi smiled at her, but it wasn't a happy smile. This one was filled with sadness, the kind which screamed you will not understand. Still he tried.

"Because its better this way." He said quietly. "After being in pain by any punishments or abuse countless time, our minds just want to tune out. Tune it all out. Tune out the humiliation, tune out the bloody welts, tune out the constant hunger, tune out the never abating pain."

He stopped again before whispering, "To tune out our existence."

With that haunted look he continued, "So at one point, by choice, we just let ourselves go. We tune out. Let whatever happen to our body. We still feel the pain, but its like in a nightmare, we are disassociated. At that time, no beating or abuse or humiliation reaches us and we simply respond to our instructions."

"All while waiting for a day when we come out of our haze to see the owner having gone too far, would just leave. We wait for a day when we find out that the owner has left a fatal wound.

We wait for a day to come out of the haze to realize we are dying. Then in those moments, we would feel happiness before death."

Anya remained quiet. What could she say anyways?

"What she most likely is thinking about is maybe the good news of her death. That or simply existing with the conditioning." Jin spoke up next.

They wise men said that everyday in your life, you get to know something new about yourself. How true they are, Anya thought, as in that moment, she did come to realize something about herself. Something that made her a selfish person.

She realized that she did not much care about what happened to the other hybrids in the world. She only cared about 7.

Not liking the discovery of such a negative side about herself, she instead made her way to the desk at the back.

While crossing the hall with the rest, the conversation dimmed out. Everyone was interested in them.

The sight of the beautiful woman with three most talked about hybrid, walking in a regal manner was enough to stop all hastily made plans. In that moment, seeing them, the corrupted minds started weaving new plans.

Not giving them any of her attention Anya reached the desk to the woman.

"Good evening ma'am, if you would wait your tur-" the receptionist, looked up from the list she was examining and tried to correct herself at the sight of who she was addressing.

But before she could apologise, her attention was snagged by the 3 men standing slightly behind her.

The receptionist had worked for a long time in this mansion and with the half breeds which is what helped her recognise that the 3 men were hybrids.

Without any ears or tail, wearing clothes, collars hidden in the hoodies, with their eyes looking right back at her, the 3 slaves looked anything but the trained pets that they were supposed to be.

Sheer rage sweeping by her body at the audacity of these lowly creatures, that she had helped train, looking at her directly, she forgot who the said hybrids in question belonged to.

"Eyes fucking down!" she yelled at the three of them.

Everyone stared in their direction. The receptionist had tremors of anger coursing through her now when she saw the slaves not backing down but continue to look her way without a single flinch in their gaze.

Just as she was going to shout again, one of the snake hybrid with dark hair and golden eyes fixed his gaze on her. And then proceeded to yawn.

Mocking her right on her face.

"You maggot eating-"

"It seems you don't care for your life very much, do you? Seeing that you have the audacity to continue and ignore me patiently standing before you?" came a calm question her way.

The melodic clear voice was heard all over the room which caused even the onlookers to look away, a fission of the threat lodging in their minds too.

The receptionist gasped loudly as she recognised her mistake. "I am so sorry ma'am! I just assumed you being new here maybe would not know how to keep the hybrids you purchased in a -"

The waiter next to her winced at her statement long before Anya asked softly,

"Are you proclaiming that I do not know how to treat my hybrids?"

The receptionist was sweating by now, "No-no-o ma'am no-o I w-ou-would -"

Letting out a sigh at herself for engaging with someone like her, she simply flicked her fingers for her to be quiet while turning to go towards the door of the dinning hall. The waiter having seen this opened the door with flourish.

Pausing to hand over her invitation to him she asked him "Are the tables allocated already?"

"No ma'am. It would be your preference whether to sit alone, in the side booths or with any amount of friends you would want to join you tonight. As you shall express, I will match you towards the table that would best suit you." He bowed as he finished.

Thinking fleetingly she said, "A table seating at least 4, preferable placed where the entire room will be visible, with no table at the back either."

"There are 3 such places available, let me guide you." The waiter was prompt both in his speech and actions.

In no time, the four of them were seated at the booth to the side of the room, with the wall behind them. The remaining two booths were quickly occupied by Peter and the other bodyguard.

Anya had no trouble with the seating, Jimin, Hoseok and Seokjin automatically sitting down on the couches without her asking them too. Didn't mean that she did not see Jin hesitating slightly before though.

Studying the room around her, she understood the need for the dark lighting. The room was shrouded in darkness with intimate lighting strategically placed around. The floor had couches around the round tables, some capable of accommodating 8 people while some loveseats clearly having a capacity of only 2.

People were slowly tricking in, leash in hand with their naked hybrids crawling like dogs beside them.

The waiter appeared again to fill their glasses with water and then to ask for her order of wine, doing his job with a flourish, not at all distracted at serving hybrids.

That is what you call being professional. Or maybe just has enough sense in him to not agitate me further.

Giving the same order of steak for the snake and eagle hybrids as the afternoon, she ordered a light chicken salad for herself, somehow knowing that the future event, especially the ceremony would be better done without something heavy in her stomach.

The waiter departed with the promise of the food being brought to them in a few minutes.

Jin nudged her legs a little with his own, his tall muscled frame being seated beside her, he lowered his head a little and tilted it towards the rest of the dining hall "And it begins."

Anya looked back to see that most of the people outside had made their way into the hall, seating themselves in pair or groups.

She started her observation. She was clearly clueless to what length the boundary was set for tonight and she needed to know it for the people in her care.

Her attention snagged to the men right in front of her. The man with the cheetah hybrid and his friend with a male hybrid, who judging by the ears was maybe a fox.

Seated in one of the tables for 2 people, their hybrids sat on the ground below them. As soon as the waiter departed from their table having taken their order, both the men dragged their hybrids by their hair, jerking and pulling on them, to position them between their legs.

They shifted back a little with their seats to comfortably have the hybrids between their legs. Giving both a rough instruction of not moving from their position, the men started slapping them. One cheek after the other. 3 times. 4 times. 5 now.

The hybrids would jerk from the force of it and then again steady their position to receive the next brutal blow. Already, the left eye of the cheetah was closing due to swelling.

The man moaned deeply on seeing that, rubbing her swelling cheek with his hands then fisted her hair tightly and dragged her face to his crotch, smashing her head on it then roughly rubbing her face on his growing erection.

Jerking her head back he said to her "Open your mouth slut." She obeyed without question, only for her master to spit in it.

Groaning with pleasure he said "Swallow it!" when she did, another blow to her face was her reward. Opening his zip and bringing out his erection he shoved the girl's mouth on it. Then proceeded to violently fuck her mouth. From the sounds emanating from the cheetah, he was deep throating her, but he kept up his rough pace, deriving pleasure for himself. His hands gripped on to her breast and massaged it with a force that smashed it in his hands.

His friend too had started on the journey of his own oral pleasure with his hybrid.

Glancing away, Anya saw another table. Two women were seated on the padded cushions gripping onto two heads firmly by their pussy, little doubt as to what they were making their hybrids do.

Looking at the next table she saw a man, laughing at a hybrid at his feet. The male hybrid was licking his shoes with his tongue. "Lick longer! Coat it with you spit you dumb fuck!" was the man's instruction. The hybrid started licking his boots in longer swipes moving his face around to get the entire shoe, all the while the man rested his other booted foot on the back of the head of the hybrid, using his head as a headrest. He started putting pressure to the back of his skull while the hybrid kept on licking his boots.

"Keep doing this till dinner ends slave." The hybrid stopped to speak "Yes Master" before resuming.

In the table slightly right to hers, she saw a group of 3 women and 2 guys seated, who had been served with their orders. All of them had male hybrids. The owners all feasted while they ordered their hybrids. They selected 4 hybrids out of the lot they had and instructed them to keep biting the 5th hybrid all over his body with bites that were deep enough that the marks would stay a week.

The owner, of the hybrid to receive the bites looked excited at the prospect as his eyes shone with his twisted thoughts. Apparently he loved his hybrid to be marked up in signs of abuse and struggle. Without any question, the 4 hybrids started biting the 5th badly, the 5th calmly laying down and taking the bites. All the while their owners kept cheering.

Wildly looking to her left, Anya saw an owner stubbing out their cigarettes on the tongue of one hybrid while the other stubbed it on a nipple of a female hybrid.

Looking further Anya saw the owners getting the ordered hybrid food, which was a shake. They poured the entire bottle on the ground and the commanded the hybrid to lick it up as a dog. While the hybrid obeyed, brutal hard smacks were placed on his butt and back by the men sitting above him, not missing a beat of the conversation he was engaged in with the other owners.

"Master. Master don't." a voice tried to pull her back but she couldn't look away from what was happening in front of her.

She felt like she was somehow transported to a region of underworld, where demons resided, and were having a party, torturing innocent souls.

What was she doing here?? Why was she here??

A cold finger brushed her locks back behind her ear and then trailed down from her ears till her bared shoulder. The touch was teasing, light.

Comforting.

Cold.

She forced herself to look away from the scene to focus on Hobi, who was carefully caressing her, to draw her attention away. She focused in his golden eyes, eyes which were unnatural, eyes that resembled a monster but whose touch was anything but that.

Hobi kept on touching her, his fingers drawing pattern on her exposed clavicle, gently going back to the sensitive area behind her ear, trailing down to her shoulders. His touch grounded her. She let herself be calmed by him.

Another sensation joined the light touches by Hobi, a hand on her knees, gently massaging it. Hands never straying one inch from her knees, the sensation was calming, understanding. The hand then rested on her knees, cupping it in warmth. Extending the friendly warmth and support to her.

Seokjin.

Anya hadn't expressed her disgust, her discomfort, at witnessing this scene, but the hybrids had known. They had felt it and responded to it.

For Jin, it was particularly hard. Being a slave all through his life, he dared to touch his Master without permission. He dared to give comfort to her even though he was made to believe that he was stain beneath the sole of a foot.

He had got the courage to, because he knew her. Sitting in this room, remembering all the same activities happening to him, happening to him and the others on maybe all days of his life, he understood how very different his Master was.

Her power was still a mystery to him, but he did know of her kindness, her love. Her light was bright enough to chase away his fear to hope.

So since yesterday, he found himself reacting to the situations with hope in him. And till now, he wasn't disappointed.

His Master needed his support. Conditioning or not, he was going to provide it.

"Thank you. I'm fine." Anya said at last, when she knew she could speak again without wanting to hurl. Her stomach, which was churning heavily in disgust, had somewhat settled.

Hoseok and Jin instantly withdrew their fingers. The abrupt loss of the comforting sensation confusing her a little. Her eyes caught on Jimin's who was sitting directly opposite to her, who was laughing lightly at his Hyungs. Anya did not need any mind reading powers to know his thoughts right now were along the lines of not letting her go even when she said she was fine, if it had been him touching and comforting her.

That made her smile too. Her eerie eyed silver angel was mischievous.

Their food arrived at that moment. While the hybrids readily proceeded to wipe of their plates with their hunger for the delicious steak, she struggled with hers.

Even the chicken salad was too heavy right now.

Once Jimin, Hobi and Jin had finished their meals, then Anya decided that it was time for her to know things in details. "Knowledge was power" was not just a sentence for her. It was a rule, a necessity, a boon that had saved her life a lot of times. Saved her life or made her sit atop a high enough seat to get away from the petty happening of daily lives between worthless, greedy individuals.

And right now, her knowledge of things was dismally low.

"I have observed that Jimin and Hobi, you both are also seeing this dinner with a bit of curiosity. Do you not know about it?" she started.

"We are snake hybrids, remember Master? We were always cuffed, gagged and blindfolded. As such there was no use bringing us to any dinner, here or the dinner of the last day, since we could not be controlled without those elements. And if those restrictions were constantly on us, there was no way they could show us off, right? So this is our first time here too." Jimin explained.

Yep. She partly knew that. This was the reason why Hobi and Jimin were silent in her room when she had a conversation with the rest of them about what to expect for this dinner. They had not participated in that discussion because they themselves did not know.

But that brought about an ugly fact.

"Which means you have taken part in this dinner before Jin. You and the rest?"

"We have." Came his reply.

Those two words triggered an avalanche of feelings in her.

"Did all these things happen to you too? The things that the rest of the owners are doing?" she asked in a hollow voice. The thought of them going through this kind of humiliation, This kind of abuse, making her slide into a negativity.

My god. Of Taehyung and Jungkook being subjected to this.

She could easily picture them acquiescing to everything any of their previous owner wanted to do to them.

Jin pushed away his dish and propped both his hands on the table. Resting his weight on his elbows, he casually looked around the room, taking in the different actions currently being carried in various stages, to the hybrids by their owners.

He turned to look back at her and said with a careful smile, "Master, the owners this year are being kind. The actions taking place in this room right now are not at all violent. It's tame." A pause, letting her digest his words before he continued

"This is easy to bear."

Jin said this honestly to help abate the sadness he thought he was sensing from her. He could not tell completely since he was overwhelmed by the amount of perfume coating the air, disorienting his sense of smell.

But his words had just the opposite effect than what he had intended as he smelled the vanilla scent souring.

These actions which disgusted Anya to her core was easy for him? Which meant he was subjected to actions he might term as hard or worse, unbearable. Then what were those actions?

Did she even want to know?

Yes, she had to.

Right now she was with 3 of them who were fairly competent in taking care of themselves in light of any opposition or attack to their self respect. The way Hobi had yawned in front of the receptionist had amused her so greatly that she could not maintain her anger towards the receptionist.

But they would be joined by 4 more hybrids during the ceremony and for them, she needed to be prepared.

Prepared enough NOT to get surprised or disgusted, so that she could keep her senses on alert. So that she could think clearly and be quick on her feet if the situation arose.

Steeling herself, she looked around the room again, forcing herself to simply look at the proceedings without associating her emotions to it.

She needed to only allow herself to feel the whole range of her emotions whenever her hybrids were involved.

The activities and the abuses remained the same. Only hybrids had been exchanged by the owners.

"The ceremony. In details please." She said, while still watching through the amount of slapping, hitting, burning and oral sex going on. No tears were anywhere in sight.

The pain of these hybrids had long transcended something as simple as tears.

Relaxing back in her seat, she lounged down, projecting a façade of indulgence as she directed her every bit of attention to the three.

"The ceremony is Legal. First of all you must know this. Since this is an auction which is different from the others in the hybrid world, the rules which apply to them are absent in this part of the world." Jin started.

Anya reached out for her water, the sleeves of one hand loosely falling to show delicate veins of her wrist which drew Jimin's gaze, looking up he met her blue eyes. She nodded at Jin to continue.

"The ceremony basically has 5 parts in it. Some legally necessary, some added for pleasure. Some parts can take place here or anywhere else, and some have to be carried out here."

He said.

"How do you know so much about it if you have never been through it yourself? Only owned hybrids take part right? Not the ones returning back." Anya questioned, wanting to know that all the data she would get would be true and not some lore or talkings between hybrids.

"When you want something from your heart, truly desire it but know well enough that you can never achieve it, ironically you thoroughly research and gather every single piece of information about it. Hoping against hope, if by chance, one day, your wish comes true, you must be prepared for it." Hobi smiled wistfully and said.

That was human nature. It also extended to hybrids apparently.

"The first part of the ceremony is Display.

It Is basically for the owner to show to the audience what she has taken. So anything that their hybrid is best at, is presented. As such, if some hybrid can bear pain really well, then they are strapped down and whipped, if they please the owner sexually then that skill is presented, if they are exceptionally obedient, the owner uses that." Hobi continued.

"How can you show obedience?"

"Maste-Mrs. Han" Jin paused and corrected himself, hesitating over the name, "Mrs. Han had purchased a hyena hybrid 4 years back who was very well conditioned. To show that obedience, she had asked him to keep stabbing himself in his soles until she commanded him to stop. He continued stabbing the blade deep in his sole for 27 minutes."

Outwardly Anya remained calm. No expression betrayed her horror. But Jimin noticed her grasp on the glass tightened to the point her fingers went white. She silently sat back, lazily looking to the side, when the truth was she couldn't see anything except her imagination painting that violent picture, of a hybrid with blank eyes.

She sipped the water slowly, wetting her dry mouth. Then indicated for them to continue.

This time, Jin picked up. "The display is for 30 minutes. Owners and audience both love this part. Hybrids heal quickly too so as long as the damage is not vital, their money's worth is still maintained. This part is purely for indulgence."

Pausing again he said, "The second part is when the owner askes anyone from the audience to come and use their slave. This part started out as indulgence for the rich society, where the stranger will further try to break the hybrid in the field the owner said the hybrid is strong.

If he succeeds, the owner loses face, if he does not, then the owner feels more proud. However, Master this step is a bit complicated."

"Where is the complication? Sounds like their slaves are used as the games of golf matches between the society to see who's ego is more bigger. Let alone the fact that they are living and breathing beings." Anya said in a straight voice.

"Master, this part really is complicated. Let me try and explain." Jimin volunteered.

Sensing their sincerity, Anya became serious.

"As far as it is known, the origin of these auctions dates as back as when we were created. Only the architects of this auction changed hands. Currently it is hosted by Mr. Park Jihaan."

Jimin said smoothly, never tripping over saying a name. Never calling him master. Anya smiled, feeling a little proud of him.

"So when the legal procedures stepped in, the society wanted this step to be legalised. They liked getting a chance to taunt the others with their slaves and also a chance to use them.

As such, legal authorities were bribed and persuaded to incorporate this step as a necessity in order to fully own a hybrid bought from this auction."

"What utter load of bullshit! They legalised this?" Anya burst out. She did not want any of her hybrids to be given to strangers. No one was to touch them.

Jimin nodded, leaning towards her, crowding her space, trying to calm her down, "I know, which is why we said this is a bit complicated. The legal did pass the sanction but, they added a few of their phrases to it. Usually people ignore those clause because no one bothers going the other way as it is."

"If an owner possesses only one hybrid, then that hybrid has to be tried by any stranger that the owner chooses. If however the owner has more than one hybrid, then she shall choose which hybrid will be loaned."

"Additionally, the hybrid will only be used in the field the owner defines and also, the conditions the owner sets. If suppose the owner wants the hybrid to be loaned to be cuffed and laid down straight, while the stranger who is elected to test the hybrid wants him from the back, he cant have it. Whatever rules the owner sets, are the rules that has to be followed." Jimin explained.

That changed the entire thing. At least for her.

"T his 2nd step is given the duration of 15 minutes. This is a step that has to be performed here." Jin added.

Anya stretched her hands above her head and tried to get more comfortable by changing her position. As she shifted a bit, her dress parted to reveal her legs as she sat with her legs crossed at her knee. Surprisingly though, she did not reach up to adjust it back. She just settled back with her creamy and toned thighs on display for the soon hungry eyes of 3 hybrids and said "Continue."

"Master... ummm" Hobi blinked up.

"Continue Hobi, You'll know why I am not adjusting my dress in a short while. The dinner is almost coming to an end."

"Yes..." Hobi looked up at her and so did Jimin. It was surprisingly Seokjin whose hot gaze remained fixed to her exposed smooth flesh.

"The third part is divided in two. This is the part that Taehyung was talking about earlier."

That caught her attention. She wanted to know about that disturbing reverence in his voice.

"The first is a Mark and Second is a Symbol. No time specified, this is done for as long as it takes to finish it. This part, both parts are not legally necessary to be done. But, this is a part which has to take place, not because of just the indulgence of the owners but because this is the part that all hybrids are attached to as well."

" Mark of a slave is what every hybrid ever auctioned here dreams about. The conditioning and the experience runs so deep that every hybrid want this.

Though it is not legal, the Marks used are legally recognised worldwide."

That, she did not know at all.

"There are 3 marks as I said. And once marks are made, as these are legally recognised, their intended promises are kept. So owners are particular about this and don't joke around.

If the owners name is carved on the chest of the hybrid with a blade, then it signifies that the hybrid shall never again have any other master, nor shall they submit to any other unless their Master wishes for it.

If the hybrid is given a name or a number by the owner, and that name is Burnt on his body using any rod, or pipe or any instrument, then it signifies that the hybrid only belongs to the owner. No one else has any right to touch the hybrid. The owner will also never command the hybrid to touch, obey or submit to anyone other than only themselves.

This is the 2nd mark. The ultimate mark that any hybrid desires.

The third mark is cigarette burns on...... the hybrids genitals, or stabbing wound anywhere on his legs or hands. This signifies that the hybrid holds no significance whatsoever in the owners life.

Needless to say this is the mark that is most often used." Hoseok finished.

"Great. Utterly horrified." Anya dead panned.

"Master" Jimin said "For conditioned hybrids like Taehyung and Jungkook, this marking is what they have been waiting for in their entire life. They want this badly. This is the way they would know for sure what your intentions are. Taehyung and Kookie dream about it. About getting 2 marks. And...."

Jimin hesitated visibly. He shifted on his seat uncomfortable, not continuing.

"And?" Anya prompted. Jimin being uncomfortable usually always ended up being something she hated or would be afraid of.

"And it is also something we all want from you. This is something we dream about too." Jin finished for Jimin smoothly. In a voice without any insecurity.

The voice and tone he used was so confident that Anya looked over at him to find him still staring at her thighs with an intensity that made her shiver.

He lifted one hand to slowly reach for her. Not looking at her, not asking for her permission, Jin boldly covered her thigh with his large hands, grasping her firmly.

Anya's eyebrows lifted at the act coming from Jin and she subtly shook her head at Hobi, preventing him from interfering. She wanted to see what Jin would do.

Jin looked at his hand, covering her legs just above her knees. His gaze hot and focused, he licked his lips hotly and started dragging his hands upwards, caressing her thighs with his palms.

Slowly, centimeter by centimetre, Jin's hands slid up towards her mons. The heavy weight of his palm burning a trail of molten lust in its wake. Anya barely suppressed a moan.

Jin paused when he reached the edge of the parted dress and said in a lowered voice "So soft, so smooth." As he again rubbed his palms down till her knees.

Breathing a little fast he said to Anya, "Wont you mark me Master? I will make sure you will never regret it." His dark voice, smooth like silk.

Then gaze still fixed hypnotically on her legs, he started bending forwards with the intention to lay kisses down the flesh he had touched. To lay claim to the part of the body he had indulged in while murmuring

"Mark me Master. It is a pain that I crave."

Hearing that, Anya motioned to Jimin, who had his eyes alert on the scene before him. He gave a loud smack at the back of Jin's head as soon as he understood what his Master wanted.

Jin jerked up. Then blinked his eyes rapidly as if trying to wake up. Finally steady, he looked down to see his hands on her. With a horrified yelp he snatched his palm away as if burnt. He looked at her with panic in his gaze.

Wow, if I did not know better I would have said that the guy was possessed by a ghost for the duration there. That amount of duality is not possible for someone.

Jin behaving in this manner was intriguing, since most of the time he was different. This was something she needed to ponder on later. Not now.

Turning to Jimin she asked "Is what he said right? That is what you were going to say? That you want to be marked?"

Jimin nodded right away.

"Wow. Just.... THAT, my dear cobra hybrid, is NOT going to happen." She said firmly. Jimin and Hobi opened their mouths to argue when she said "At least not now. Let's talk about this later at home. Its one of the steps that does not need to happen here, right? Give me at least that." She would have pleaded if need be. Fortunately, they understood.

"Meanwhile tell me about the Symbol."

Hobi decided to answer now. "Symbol of slave is simple. If the hybrid is not treasured by the owner, we get a leash attached to our collars. If we are treasured then the owner will give us a piercing."

"Huh? Piercing? Out of the blue? What ear piercing?"

"It can be anywhere in the body, but most treasured is nipple and genital piercings." Hobi said.

"Hah." Hearing Hobi, she snorted right away. "I am coming to know that the things you treasure are clearly signs of you being a bit demented by it all. The things you treasure, are the complete opposite of what I feel about them." Anya snorted.

"The last step is the signing of yet another legal document in the presence of witness who will sign as well. A minimum of 2 are needed." Jin said quietely.

"Okaaaay. That is a lengthy ceremony. And I have quite a few concerns about it. Especially with Taehyung and Jungkook. Now I am understanding I might have problems with a lot of you for it too." Anya sighed.

Just then, the man with the cheetah hybrid came to their table. He was eyeing the hybrids seated surrounding her but as soon as he got closer, his eyes shifted to her exposed legs, and stuck there.

Just as she had intended for it to happen.

The man sleazily licked his lips, still staring while he extended his hands to her "Hello, I am Lee Soonan." He introduced himself

"Hello Mr. Soonan, what a pleasure to meet you!" Anya said in a falsely excited voice filled with promise.

The three hybrids, on hearing her, whipped their head around in pure confusion.

Soonan on the other hand laughed "Oh really darling?" he said, as he came around to her, looking at her now. Anya slid a little lower on her seat, appearing to look seductively splayed, then reached up to him and traced one finger lightly over his jaws, and said in a breathy whisper "Really."

She arched up a little, pushing out her heavy breasts, slowly tracing Soonan's lips now while looking deeply in his eyes coquettishly. Blinking up a bit, she continued in that same breathy whisper, almost moaning lowly "Ever since I saw you taking that hybrid in the waiting lounge, I have been waiting for you to approach me."

The 3 hybrids with her were fuming. They were angry but the anger was corrosive. The rage burning through their veins was dangerous. It was destroying any compulsion they had over the years.

All they felt was a blatant need to rip the man in front of them into pieces so that his hot blood would paint the entire room.

Jimin in particular was in deep. His fangs had lengthened in his mouth, his venom pooling on his tongue. Every muscle in his body had tightened and there was a red haze in his eyes. He could not clearly see but he heard every single breath, every single increased heartbeat, the sound of him gulping in lust. Whoever this human was, he was close to someone he should never had laid his eyes on.

Hoseok and Seokjin were also in the grips of a flaming need to tear into the human. No amount of shock collar would have kept them down. Even at the maximum level, they would have still charged on till they would lose their consciousness.

But one statement from their Master stopped them.

Stopped them up cold.

She said she was waiting since she saw her with his hybrid? Said it in a manner that she liked it? That was all wrong. They had smelled her scent getting bitter. She was angry on seeing that, not pleased.

Confused, all three halted and observed closely.

"Yeah baby? You liked what you saw?" Soonan murmured to her, holding her hand which were on his face and the directly sucking her fingers in his mouth.

More like slobbering on them.

Anya laughed huskily and said "You are someone who can take any kind of a hybrid. The attitude and confidence you have." She moaned lightly "I have never seen someone with such a lot of dominating presence. How are you so good?"

By now Anya's entire palm was covered in his disgusting saliva.

Soonan preened under her praises, his ego inflated sky high by the praises from Kim Anya. "I can be that way for you too baby."

Anya at last withdrew her hands, apology in her eyes. "Lets see, if you are interested to continue this after the evening is over, then I shall meet with you. For now I think we will be leaving for the ceremony soon."

Not wanting to let such a moment go, but knowing that he had to he said "I will sit just behind you in the ceremony hall then."

Anya smiled. "I would love that Soonan."

Smiling triumphantly at gaining the affection of the unattainable Kim Anya, he winked at her in a sleazy manner and then hurried forward to share the news with his friend.

As soon as he was gone, Anya's expression dropped. She sat up straight and draped the cloth back over her legs. Reaching forward, she tilted the water from her glass on her hand and then wiped it all away with the napkin, face thoughtful.

"Why did you do that? You not lifting your skirt was for him Master?" Hobi asked for the three of them, bewildered.

Anya looked at him and then the rest of them. She laughed out, this time, genuinely.

Strange, how easily they could understand which of her expression or voices were fake compared to her original softness after just 2 days. This connection they had with her was magnetic.

"Oh my dear Hobi. When you are going to play a game, always remember, setting up your own game pieces before the game starts is beneficial. Its all about moves and countermoves.

You just have to be quick enough to anticipate what the countermoves are going to be. Once you know that, the game is all yours." Anya smiled wickedly.

"I did not understand anything you said Master."

She chuckled, then asked Jimin "Did you understand?" Jimin solemnly said no.

"You will then. A bit later, you will. And then, have fun." She said looking at Jimin.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

With the dinner over, everyone was waiting for something. As for him, he was a little guarded. Jimin knew his Master had meant him specifically when she had asked about if he had understood why she did what she had.

That name, Soonan. He was positive he had heard about it from Peter about something too.

As for this evening, the second part may not be new to him as he had always been cuffed to a post and seen from afar, but he and Hoseok had never been in the dinner. The experience had been good because of the way his Master had treated them. He had completely loved the way he and the rest could mock anyone who tried to put them in place just because they had full support from her. No because of her. She wanted them too.

As for this ceremony, this would be the first time he would be participating.

This was huge to him. Never had he ever thought that him, being a poisonous snake hybrid, would be thinking about the ceremony. Would ever be owned.

Although he doubted that he would ever get the Mark on his skin. He really wanted it.

Jimin decided to ask her one more time.

He tried to put the expression which she had praised him to be cute as and then with his most adorable voice, he looked up to her, his eyes big on his face, "Master, will you truly not consider giving us the Mark?"

Anya took a deep breath and murmured "Jimin I will make both you and Hobi shed your skin and then feed you to that Eagle over there who I will then feed to the Tiger and the Panther and make them eat him." A pause. "Do you still want the Mark?"

Jimin winced, but smiled dazzlingly at her "No. I am truly good without it. It is just a silly thing anyways."

"Yep. There you go."

He was falling in love with his Master.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you all can now proceed to the lounge or directly to the ceremonial hall for the event to start. There will be a 15 minutes gap before the ceremony commences. Please do enjoy the evening.

Jimin saw his Master call forth Peter and ask him to bring the rest of his friends down. They got up from their seats and made their way out of the dining hall, towards the foyer, prepared to meet the rest.

Although, he was worried. Not because of the usual situations, but because of Tae and Kook. Making them understand that no Mark was being given to them did not mean they got the third mark, was going to be hard.

Both of them had the least interaction with Master but he knew that both of them really liked her. The problem was that their core self believed them to be slaves. As such they were happy, truly excited about this ceremony. They wanted to receive the first and the second mark.

They were giddy to the point of spontaneously dancing around.

As Jimin spotted Tae, Kook, Yoongi and Namjoon coming down from the stairs towards them escorted by 2 more of Master's security guards, he wondered.

He wondered, how they were going to make the 2 kits understand that it was a good thing that they would not be taking part in the ceremony much.

Although Jimin was nervous about the second step. He had faith in her. She would find a way.

But it was the others that he was afraid of.

As he glanced around, he saw the jealous and covetous faces of the rest of the guests. Guests he recognised. Guests he knew.

Guests that wanted to be their owners.

Guests who wanted particular friends from his group.

Who were denied them forever now because of his Master.

Somehow, Jimin did not think that they would let them go that easily. Not here. Especially not tonight. This ceremony gave them the perfect opportunity.

Jimin turned towards his beautiful Master, who stood resplendent in her gown. It appeared as if stars had come to wrap themselves around her body acknowledging her as a celestial angel that she was. With her Azure blue eyes, warm smile and her deadly confidence, she was one of a kind in here.

He saw that she too had seen the attention that was directed towards his friends. Seen it and then ignored it completely.

That told him that she knew how to get them out of this evening without any scratch. She would protect them against everyone. All he needed to do was to trust her and support her in whatever she wanted, whether with information, words or action. He would remain by her side throughout the evening.

As his friends reached them and came forward to greet them, he smiled at another realization.

Her hybrid or not, carrying her mark of ownership or not, legal or not, he would remain by her side Always and Forever.

Woe befall anyone who tried to come in between them or tried to separate him from her.

She was his only Master that he would always answer to.

And his identity would forever be known as Her Hybrid.

Hers.

A/N: as this chapter is long, I am dividing it into 2 parts although it is a continuation.