The Copper Horse #1 Fear (26 page)

Reuben was so relaxed that he nodded without a question and dragged his foot over the ground like a horse, fresh grass tickling his heel.
Why not?
Two could play this game.

Erik's smile went up to his eyes, lighting them up. "You wanna run?" he asked, his tone becoming raspy.

Reuben gave him another nod, surprised by the invitation. Would he really get to walk around and explore on his own? His hopes faltered when Erik started running in place and giving him expectant looks. Reuben didn't think he'd seen him this excited since he'd come to Erik's home. He didn't know what to make of it.

Maybe he should put him through his paces in that leather suit of his? Get him all sweaty before work? He smiled from behind the bit and whinnied once more to signal his readiness.

"Come!" Erik tugged on the reins and started to trot.

Reuben followed, feeling the hairs of the tail brush over his buttocks with each move. He was wary of falling over, but his ambition not to lag behind was bigger. They dashed through the garden, maneuvering between the flower beds in warm sunlight. Reuben especially enjoyed the fresh air, his lips stretching to a grin as broad as was possible with the bit in his mouth. The sensation of grass tickling the soles of his feet was something new. It made him feel connected to this beautiful place, as if this was where he belonged.

"Don't you love it, Copper?" Erik gently smacked the backs of Reuben's calves with his riding crop.

Reuben let out a loud breath through his nose, trying to go faster. He didn't know how to answer the question, but then again, Erik didn't put a gag into his mouth for nothing. It seemed that he didn't really care about what Reuben felt.

"Good, such a good boy!" Erik laughed, stopping in place and prompting Reuben to run in a circle.

Reuben was trying hard to keep the posture he was taught. The last thing he wanted was to get hit. And by 'hit' he didn't mean the patting Erik did with the crop. He couldn't care less about that. It was the memory of punishment—the ring in his mouth, the caning, the shoving around that he was really scared of. Running around in a fresh smelling garden, he didn't mind, even if he had to do so in such humiliating gear. At least, it wasn't in the street.

"Well done!" Erik petted his butt before guiding him back toward the house. "You have improved so much within these few days. I am so proud of you!" he chattered, pulling Reuben's head closer by the reins for a chaste kiss.

When their eyes locked, Reuben let his master do whatever he liked. He would lie if he said hearing so much praise didn't make him happy. He was eager to please and do things right, even if it meant pretending to be a horse. They slowed down and Erik pulled something out of his pocket before showing an open palm to his pet.

It held a sugar cube, and Reuben leaned in after a moment of hesitation. He loved sugar. And as he sucked the sweet die, the pleasure reminded him just how much he liked being stroked on the bum for doing good. Erik's hand returned to his buttocks, as if he'd read Reuben's mind. As strange as it was, the impossibility of protesting made him feel more liberated than ever. He wasn't Reuben anymore, he was this man's horse, a pet with which he would do as he pleased. There was no use fighting it, so he gave in.

He slowly closed the distance, putting his head on Erik's shoulder, peacefully enjoying the sugar in his mouth. He welcomed his master's hoarse sigh with secret pride.

"You must be the sweetest pony in all of London," murmured Erik with a gentle squeeze to his buttock, and Reuben shivered at the touch. There were many things he wasn't happy about, but this was not one of them. He could be touched like this all the time. It was like experiencing all the shameful pleasures through a body that wasn't his anymore. 'Reuben' was long gone. He was just the 'pony' and a 'pony' could take all of it with no regrets.

He nuzzled Erik's ear, finishing his treat. His master turned his head to look into his eyes and pressed a gentle kiss to the ridge of Reuben's nose. His eyelids dropped shut. "You have no idea how much I would like to stay with you today."

Reuben kissed him back with a little nod, paying no mind to the saliva oozing down his chin. Erik chuckled when he noticed the drool. "You are making me dirty, silly! Will you miss me as well, Copper?" He shot his pet an expectant look.

Reuben would definitely miss his hands, but instead of nodding, he shook his head and smiled as much as he could with the bit in his mouth.

Erik barked out a short laugh. "Feeling cheeky, are we?"

When Reuben answered by pushing his forehead at his cheek, Erik stroked his face with a gentleness he couldn't get enough of. "You are so sweet-tempered." His breath hitched when he slid his fingers down between Reuben's buttocks. "I wish I could bugger you right now."

Reuben's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't shy away. It felt so fucking good to be touched there...

"I would ram my hard prick deep into you as you kneel on the grass and you would just nicker and whinny," Erik teased him, gently rubbing Reuben's sensitive asshole.

It was embarrassing to even hear such filthy words, but with the gag in his mouth, there was no pressure to talk back. His imagination followed Erik's words, because no matter how much he resented being a property, he still loved how gentle his master was whenever he took him. It never hurt, except for that forced first time, and after the deed was done, Erik always spoiled his pet rotten.

"Well, we will have to wait until I'm back." Erik led him toward the machine. "But I will give you something to do."

Reuben lagged a few steps behind, as he was taught, and eyed the structure with curiosity.

"You know how electricity is made?" Erik halted by the machine and patted Reuben's bottom again. It was becoming his token gesture.

He had no idea what his master was talking about, so he shook his head.

"Like the light you have in your stall. It is not gas, as you probably noticed," Erik explained patiently.

Reuben still wasn't sure what the difference was, but gave a slow nod, turning to look at the machine, complete with a variety of different sized cogs and pistons towering in the middle. Topped off with the unicorn statue that he could now admire up close, the construction was about fifteen feet high.

"You see, the light comes from this machine. The quicker, longer, and stronger it revolves, the more light and heat we will have." Erik smiled at Reuben, his hand never leaving his body. "I want you to move it today."

Reuben furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side, looking at the four heavy logs of wood attached to the machine. Assuming by the circular path around it, he guessed the work would be about pushing or pulling them. The machine was a treadmill.

Erik tugged him close to one of the logs, and Reuben recognized it was strategically padded at the top. Erik helped him assume the correct position, with the top of his chest pressed to the thick, wooden arm. He then reached down to unbuckle Reuben's wrists from his thighs. All of a sudden, Reuben felt confused. He wasn't restrained. It was something so unusual for him in this house that he just stood there, with no idea what to do about the unexpected freedom. Was Hans around, watching over from the shadows, or did Erik actually believe Reuben wouldn't attack him?

"Put your arms on top of the log, Copper," Erik encouraged him and stroked Reuben's arm.

He complied without hesitation, though he couldn't grasp why it relieved him so much to follow an order.

"Good!" Erik's voice made Reuben feel all warm inside, like he meant something. His master used thick, leather straps to fasten his arms to the treadmill arm. "You know what I like the most though, Copper?" A gentle kiss fell on Reuben's arm.

"Hn?"

"You will get big and strong doing this..."

Reuben cocked his eyebrow and slouched to catch some of Erik's hair in his lips.

"It'll build your muscles." Erik's hand was back at his ass, barely touching, but it was enough to send jolts of pleasure all over Reuben's body.

He nodded and tugged at the straps to check how well they were fastened. He was not afraid of hard work. As a baker, he'd had to get up in the middle of the night to knead pounds and pounds of dough. Being here was like celebrating a national holiday in comparison, every day. What did he need freedom for anyway, if it meant badly paid labor, vile food, and no sexual satisfaction at the end of the day?

Thankful for all the things he had, Reuben was eager to show what an asset he could be to the household. Erik flung his arms around Reuben's shoulders, leaning close enough for him to feel his master's impressive erection. Maybe he would fuck him after all? Reuben felt hot just thinking about it.

"Do you see that semi-circular window on the machine?" Erik pointed his finger at a white gauge with a scale that went from '0%' to '100%'. "As you work, the pointer will move to the right. The further it goes, the better."

Reuben gave an energetic nod and rubbed his thigh against Erik's crotch. It felt great to be this arousing to another man.

"Oh, you tease!" Erik slapped him on the butt. "You really want my cock now, don't you?"

Reuben could already imagine being fucked while strapped to this log. It was solid enough that he could easily support his whole body weight on it. But all he did was shake his head with a grin around the bit and move his thigh away. Usually, he would be impatient, knowing that opportunities for fucking didn't grow on trees, but knowing Erik would come back in the evening, he'd much rather have his master thinking about him all day, imagining him working in the garden. Waiting for his return.

"Very well, start then." Erik moved away, his eyes never leaving Reuben's body. It was strange how he could make Reuben feel caressed without even touching him.

Reuben took a deep breath and tensed all his muscles before pushing on the log hard. At first, it wouldn't budge, and his breath hitched from the effort. He would not be beaten by some fucking piece of wood in front of his master! Digging his heels into the soft ground of the circular path, he grabbed onto the wooden arm for one more shove. And it finally gave in.

"That's it, Copper, push!"

Once he got the machine moving, it was easier to continue, and he soon worked out a slow, steady pace. He actually found pleasure in being watched like this, his muscles tensing with the effort as he showed off his strength. Even being dressed up in all the horse tack wasn't that bad, since it got him so many compliments from Erik. The praise made even the silliest dress-up worthwhile.

Half a circle later, Reuben could see his master's smile again, and that alone was worth the effort. The skin-tight outfit did nothing to hide Erik's stiff cock, trapped against one of his thighs. Walking past him, Reuben tensed up his stomach muscles, trying to look even more impressive, like that white peacock, strutting with its tail opened into a fan.

"I really have to go now, Copper." Erik looked like he was honestly regretting that. "Be good to Jack. He will be with you at all times."

Reuben stretched his neck like a curious pigeon and saw Jack sitting on a bench close to the treadmill. Next to him was a basket of apples and some other snacks.

Reuben looked up into the blue sky, enjoying the way sun felt on his skin.
This isn't so bad.

"I hope I can see a huge number on there when I'm back!" Erik laughed, slowly retreating back into the house, Hans following him like a guard dog.

Without stopping, Reuben shot a glance at Jack, who was peeling some fruit. Pushing the log to keep the machine working wasn't easy, but Reuben knew it was within his power, and he appreciated the challenge.

"Do you like it, Copper?" Jack looked up with a smile. He seemed to enjoy the outdoors as well.

The question made Reuben look away in shame. How on earth could he admit to such a thing? What kind of man would that make him? This conversation was different from the playful banter he shared with Erik, so he just shook his head discreetly and plowed on, determined to get as much light and warmth into the machine as he could. However this 'electricity' thing worked, he was intent on giving it to Erik upon his arrival.

Chapter 12

The work gave Reuben a sense of purpose. The sun felt pleasantly hot on his skin, which was now shiny with sweat. It was peaceful. He could hear birds chirping in the trees, and from time to time a curious swallow would even sit on the log close to him. He kept staring at the gauge, anxious to impress Erik. Just as his stomach began to churn with hunger, Jack walked over and unbuckled Reuben's bit to take it out of his mouth.

"Are you well?"

It took Reuben some effort to actually stop the machine from moving, but he smiled at the boy and nodded. "Yeah, hungry and thirsty though!"

"I'll give you something. The master told me to feed you every two hours." Jack moved back to the bench and returned with two shallow bowls: one containing water, the other full of tiny fruit pieces.

"It's been two hours already? Look, I did quite a bit!" Reuben exhaled deeply, looking at the meter, which pointed to 23%.