Rhy'Din. The city, the planet - didn't matter. He hated it. But, his inn made good business. The Circle was beginning to stand again with members on various worlds and within other cities. Rhy'din's underground still continued to elude him. For how long would it take to take hold, and truly open the trade back up in this town. How much money. How many corpses.

Time would tell.

He sat at the bar of the Red Dragon Inn, quietly watching the crowds. So complacent. The nexus bringing in varieties rarelly seen even in the outskirts of the Empire. His first hunt in months turned out not as expected and the girl ended up having to die. Or so he was lead to believe. Her life sense changed. No doubt he would find her again, and crush her. Few merchants have dared to trade with the slaver, if they knew better they would. His name had slipped from the tounges of others.

They didn't remember the darkness.

They didn't remember him.

They would.

A dark smirk formed on his lips just before he took another drink. He studied a delicious little girl that would be his next target. He could probably make more money with her, and have more fun in the process anyway.

A flash of a delightful smile, and the girl giggled and hooked her arm within his. He lead her down to the little resturant down the street from them. They had a great time during dinner. He said all the right things, offered all the right suggestions. She felt special because the attentions of this elder noble. The evening went so well, it was easy enough to accept his offer of a trip to his tower.

Of course, that trip would be the last time anyone would see the girl...and recongize her.

It is amazing the change a collar can make to a girl's apperance and personality.

Well, she was a plesant surprise. It took even less time to break her than originally thought. His arms folded behind him as the girl stood naked before him with a quiet smile on her lips. She looked up, but never above his chest. The scars from the whipping sessions were nearly gone. The time in the healing tanks had done her some good. She didn't fight anything anymore. Instead, she obayed upon first word. Even more so when he promised his collar to her neck. As he reached into his thigh pocket to pull that collar of silver, she smiled even brighter, and dropped to her knees without a command.

She was indeed broken and knew her place. The weeks of fighting his "persuasions" were over. She quickly pulled her flame red hair back, and fully exposed her neck to him.

It was only a moment later when he placed the silver band about her neck. Upon closing it around her flesh, it hissed a moment as it began to shrink to fit her neck. The lock and collar melted together, becoming a solid silver band.

"You are mine, now, my pet," He offered cooly. "Mind, body and soul."

She had run.

It was a mistake all in itself.

But, it was a mistake he would correct.

He had caught up with her trail quickly enough. She only had a day head start on him. He could simply reach out and strangle her with the Dark Side, but thought better of it. Hunting her and tracking her like an animal would be more fun. He had come across her campsite from the night before. She hadn't left long ago. Only a few hours now. He extended the talons over his hands, as he took to the trees for the bird's eye prospective. He could imagine her heart beating quickly as she ran through the woods.

He hadn't had a good hunt in some time. Hopefully, she would make it worth his while.

Even if she was a slave.

A dead slave, he reminded himself. She simply didn't know it yet.

The taloned fingers dug into a branch, keeping him steady as he looked out over the land, looking for some kind of disturbance to continue his tracking. She would most likely be heading back into town. Perhaps to find another master to defend her from him. A laugh that would be.

He had ordered his pets, the terror beasts, to surround the area, but not to harm her.

He wanted that pleasure for himself.

Birds broke through the trees some distance away. He know it could have been either his pets, or the girl. He narrowed his eyes darkly, avoiding the temptation of using his powers. He lept from the tree, and began making his way in the direction. She had gotten mixed up during the night, and is only heading farther into the forest. It was now his game.

She was running as fast as she could. She thought she had been going the right way. But, she should have reached the path by now. She fell to the ground crying a bit. She'd done that a lot in the last few days. How could she have been taken by such a monster like him! She had been such a happy young woman. Free.

But now - She tugged on the silver collar around her neck once again. It wasn't moving. She hated it. She didn't want to be a slave. How could one being do this to another? Simple: He wasn't human. He was a monster.

She thought of him, then looked around frantically. She'd rested too long. She got up and ran.

She didn't care where. Anything was better than being around him.

She ran as fast as she could, for as long as she could.

She figured she had gotten several miles away from him. Only to see him standing a few paces away from her.

He was grinning darkly, the talons raking one of the nearby trees. He wasn't panting.

It was if he were waiting for her. He took a few steps towards her. She stumbled backwards, tripping over a rock. She landed with a thud, and begun scooting back from him quickly.

She let out a scream as he began laughing. She began pleading for her life, and offered anything and everything to him.

He nodded darkly, with a smile to match.

He took the offering.

The light reflected off the metallic talons, as they slashed.

Her final screams scared off some native birds that burst through the tree tops.