The Copper Horse #1 Fear (20 page)

Jack gripped the bench seat. "Apologize!"

Reuben swallowed around the rock in his throat and backed off into the corner of the stall like a frightened animal. Words failed him.

Heavy footsteps were coming closer and a cold shiver ran up Reuben's spine as he heard Erik's tsk. "Now where is my unruly pony?"

"That would be me?" Reuben said in a tiny voice, shaken to the core. He tried to force a smile when he looked up, his heart already pounding like mad. He focused his eyes on the stall door expecting to see Erik, but he still wanted to crawl up the wall when the fair head suddenly appeared in the entrance as if he were playing peek-a-boo.

"You."

He wanted to shout and hit, but in the end, he only curled up under the blanket, trembling in fear. "Me."

"Master, he isn't feeling well yet," Jack tried, but it only took Erik's single gesture to silence him.

"Why are you moving away from me, Copper?"

"Please don't hit me, sir. I don't know what came over me yesterday." Reuben was shocked by how visceral his own reactions were, even though Erik hadn't done anything to him yet. His body was alarmed by his sheer presence.

"I won't, don't worry," Erik assured him with a gentle smile. "I see Jack took good care of you."

"Yes!" He nodded, not wanting his groom to get in trouble. "I got water and mint and this blanket."

"Aw, you do look ravishing in the blanket." Erik flashed him a grin before holding up something that looked like a bundle of leather straps, though Reuben could also see a glimmer of metal. "Wanna smell it?"

"Smell it? What is it?" If it were possible, he would have hidden under the hay to avoid this torment. He wasn't sure anymore if the miserable life he had with his father hadn't been better than the tortures of luxury.

"An accessory for you." Erik came closer, dangling the straps in front of his face, and Reuben recognized that there was a solid, metal loop attached to them.

"No, please," he whimpered. He held back a deep, painful sob. "What is it? Please, don't hurt me anymore!"

"This won't hurt, though I admit there will be discomfort." Erik spread the bundle of straps to reveal a metal ring between them. "You understand, after what happened yesterday, I need to be certain you will not bite me anymore."

"It won't happen
ever
again, I swear!" This must have been how the rats felt when he cornered them in the sewers.

"I'm sure it won't, but you need to go through your punishment." Erik knelt in front of him. "Open up."

Reuben couldn't believe someone so handsome could be so evil. He tried to think quickly. What would a horse do? Erik loved horses, and Jack told him all the time that he would be treated well if he was a 'good horse'. Reuben took a deep breath and leaned toward his owner like a timid foal nudging his arm with his forehead. Erik took a sharp breath and slowly tickled him behind the ear, stopping in hesitation.

"Are you afraid?"

Reuben nodded, giving Erik the most innocent look he could manage. After all, horses didn't speak. And he wasn't afraid. He was
petrified
.

Erik smiled at him like someone trying to soothe a frightened child. His hand went up Reuben's neck to stroke the top of his head. "Don't be. I will not cause you any harm."

"You accept my apology?" He gave in to the caress and pressed a kiss to one of Erik's fingers. The trace of his own teeth was still visible on the side of his master's hand.

"Of course, but you still need to be punished." Erik stroked his head. "When training an animal, it is essential to be consistent."

"But I am not a real horse," Reuben tried. "I will understand." It began to dawn on him that the punishment, whatever it was, would be administered whether he liked it or not.

"Doesn't matter, but on the bright side," Erik said, punctuating it with a kiss to Reuben's forehead, "after we go through with this, your bad behavior will be forgotten."

"Please sir." Reuben's gaze shifted to the straps and metal. The fact that he didn't know what they were for made it all worse. "If there is anything else I can do—"

"Open your mouth, Copper," Erik interrupted him, straightening his back as he held up the metal circle in his long fingers.

Reuben pursed his lips and slowly backed off into his corner.

"Open your mouth, Copper." Erik was still calm, though lines of displeasure marred that perfect forehead. Jack waved at him from behind the master's back, his eyes wide open with worry. He was making broad nods, mouthing a 'yes'.

The last time Reuben had felt this scared was when he was twelve and he'd burnt a whole batch of pies. "Please, show me what it is first." He cowered in the corner. As a big man, Reuben always liked to think of himself as fearless, but this person, his owner, made him feel like a little boy.

"Certainly." Erik smiled at him and stretched the whole thing in his hands. The metal ring was right in the center of the leather 'web'. "The circle goes into your mouth to prevent you from biting."

Reuben gave the thing one more look, before reluctantly opening his mouth. He feared there would be no way out of this anyway.

"That's a good boy." Erik gently inserted the circle into place. It forced Reuben's mouth open, pressing on the gums behind his teeth. It was far from being pleasurable and now he couldn't even complain. He didn't want to think about how ridiculous and hopeless he had to look with the straps clipped at the back of his head. The ring was secure in place. Erik smiled at him and pressed a gentle kiss to his half-opened lips.

Reuben frowned and looked away, once again feeling the sting of tears in his eyes.

"Now, you be good, and I will award you at the end of the day," Erik assured him, getting to his feet and gesturing at Jack, who already had the necessary items at hand. "Make him ready."

Reuben looked up at both of them, completely helpless with his hands bound under the blanket. It soon became clear he was supposed to be prepared for the day just as he had been yesterday, including the tail in his ass.

Reuben shook his head without much energy. He was beginning to understand that his pleading would be ignored. He was once again naked, his hands strapped to his own thighs. Drool was already starting to drip from his wide open mouth, and he looked up at his master.

"Come'ere, Copper." Erik opened his arms in invitation.

How long could he make him wear this torture device? Reuben was already feeling a bit dry mouthed, as he couldn't close his lips. Making some inarticulate noises, he walked up to Erik without much fight.

"Yes, that's it!" Erik's eyes shone with happiness as he hugged Reuben. "You're so adorable. I love it!"

Having nothing left to lose, Reuben sighed through his nose and slouched in the embrace. Caressing hands were nice, as were gentle lips slowly moving along his jawline. Just when he began to relax, he felt the already familiar slick presence at his bottom. His body immediately tensed up to prevent the intrusion, but it was no use. Being so close to Erik while the plug was being slid in, made his cock hard.

"Good, just relax, Copper." Erik lapped at his ear.

Reuben wanted to tell him how hard that was, but it came out as a useless murmur. It was strange to get so much care after being punished. He gave a choked groan as the tail was pushed in place. Having something cold in there was the oddest feeling.

"Good boy, I'm proud of you." Erik's soothing voice tickled his ear as the man rubbed his thigh against Reuben's slowly hardening cock. Yet again immersed in being nothing more but a human-horse, Reuben closed his eyes and tried to think of something less exciting than being on his knees in front of Erik.

"See, it's not so bad, is it?" His master's slim hand closed around Reuben's prick. He had such soft hands. Stained by ink, but still incomparable to Reuben's big, overworked fingers. Without the ability to speak, the only answer he could give was another groan. He tried to back off from the touch, gently pushing at Erik's chest with his head.
Great.
He really was destined to become a horse.

In response, Erik gave his cock an even harder tug, biting on his earlobe with a short laugh. Reuben whined but wouldn't risk pulling away again. Oh, well, after all, he had tried. At least he could get off despite all of this madness. He grabbed on to the pleasure, moving his hips in the same rhythm Erik used to jerk his prick. As self-indulgent as it was, he really liked watching his own stiffened cock.

His enjoyment was interrupted when the inviting hand left him for a moment, and before he knew what was happening, Erik tightened a leather strap around the base of his cock.

Not again! He actually howled in frustration, trying to rub himself against his master in a plea for release. Wasn't the brace on his mouth punishment enough?

"Patience, Copper, first we need to eat." Erik was unusually cheerful as he tugged Reuben toward the stall door.

He, the 'horse', followed, hoping that as few servants as possible would see him like this. It was one thing to be seen naked, but another to have his mouth forced open and his cock sticking up proudly as if it was ready to shoot fireworks of joy. Judging by the heat he felt in his face, he could only guess it was as red as his backside.

Erik didn't go to the dining room though. Instead, John, who as Reuben now knew was a footman, let them into a small chamber. It was all white and blue, a sharp contrast to the grim hall from yesterday.

If he could have, Reuben would've smiled with relief. When in the corridor, all he could think was
'please, not the dead-head-room!'
. Curiosity got the best of him and he started to look around. The room was tiny with plush clouds painted on the low ceiling, at the center of which he saw Pegasus carrying a young, naked man. He let himself stare as there were no orders coming his way. The smell of fresh bread was soothing. It reminded him of the few good times he'd had at home.

He suddenly recognized that one of the walls wasn't uniform. It was in fact a large bookshelf, and each of the volumes had a spine of exactly the same color as the surrounding walls. The table was designed for four, maybe five people, though Reuben only saw one set of cutlery, presumably for Erik. He wasn't all that surprised, and when his owner sat down in a chair, he decided to kneel at his feet, which seemed more comfortable than standing. Erik smiled at him as he poured himself a generous cup of fresh coffee. Even this smelled better than any liquid Reuben had ever had before coming to this house. They were alone in the bright room, and even solid, metal bars behind the window couldn't spoil its calm and dreamy atmosphere.

The only thing he considered truly annoying was the drool constantly dripping down his chin, but Reuben figured he couldn't help it anyway. Hope was, the nicer he was, the sooner he would have the brace removed, so he approached Erik on his knees and put his head in his master's lap. It felt like a good place to rest. Reuben could smell his fresh clothes and fantasize about the cock in those trousers.

The other man exhaled, looking at him, wide-eyed.

"Oh, Copper, you are such an obedient stallion," he whispered, gently playing with the longish mane as he bit into fresh toast with a crunch.

Reuben looked up at the food but didn't want to seem needy, so he just nuzzled Erik's thigh, patiently waiting for his turn. Maybe he would be fed by hand? There was no feeder in sight.

"Hungry?"

Reuben exhaled deeply through his nose and nodded. His wide open mouth had to look ridiculous.

"I will feed you after I'm finished. How about that, Copper?" Erik asked with a smile and opened a newspaper.

Reuben could do nothing but nod, so he laid his cheek on Erik's thigh once more. His own erection was a numb, pulsating sensation that he couldn't help. The strangest thing was that submitting to Erik's will, even to this horrible brace, made him feel safe again. He knew that he'd done well and wouldn't be hit for no reason.

Erik took his time, slowly consuming eggs and bread with jam, sipping coffee as if this were a normal morning for him. All this time, his slim fingers wandered over the plains of Reuben's arms and head.

Maybe as Erik's pet, he could freely give in to this kind of pleasure? No one could blame him for submitting to a man of such power. And up 'til now, Erik's pleasures didn't seem to lie in causing pain, and he seemed to like all the petting and touching. In any other circumstances, a grown man would have shied away from such contact. It was liberating not to have the choice. Even the first man Reuben had ever been with hadn't touched him so gently. Not that he'd known he was the first.

At some point though, the stroking intensified and Reuben realized that the front of his master's trousers bulged against his cheek. It took him a moment to catch up on that fact and stop daydreaming. Maybe this was his chance to get his mouth free? As expected, Erik pulled on his mane to bring Reuben's mouth closer to his crotch. His breathing became ragged.

Reuben looked up at him with a nasal moan, trying to remind him of the brace. He didn't shy away though, nudging the inside of his master's thigh with his nose. He needed that cock.

"You want it, don't you, Copper?" asked Erik, but Reuben could only focus on those graceful fingers opening his present.

He let out another high-pitched moan and curled his upper lip in an attempt to remind Erik of the uncomfortable brace. He wouldn't mind giving Erik head after taking it off, far from it.

"I know!" His master flashed him a cheerful smile, lowering the trousers. His hard, erect cock sprang free, pointing straight at the Pegasus above them. "It's feeding time."

Wait
. Was this the 'feeding' Erik had mentioned before? Reuben furrowed his eyebrows and voiced a shy complaint in the form of yet another incoherent moan. He
hated
that ring and the way it numbed his gums.

"Oh, Copper, so wide open for your master!" Erik grinned at Reuben and pulled him even closer toward that fresh, yet musky smell and the heat that came with it.

Did Erik want to get sucked with the brace still in Reuben's mouth? What was supposed to be both the punishment for biting and a precaution against it, in fact, transformed Reuben's mouth into a big, moist hole, open for the taking. Unguarded. Defenseless. He shook his head with yet another embarrassed whine.