::CHAPTER 19::

Cheers and shouts wafted through my window. My men were in the midst of celebration. It had been a few hours already and it didn’t seem as if they were ready to stop. I wasn’t sure if they were celebrating our success at Bvendini, the lack of dead soldiers on our side of the fight or perhaps the fact that they would not have to fight any more battles for a while.

Now was the time to plan. To rest and reflect. To give the world the chance to recover. Because obviously it would be no fun ruling a broken world. It was only six capital cities that we had invaded, but it was from six of the largest and most influential countries in the world. Six powerhouses. Their minor downfall was the downfall of many other countries that depended on them.

People were waiting for the person responsible to make a mistake. They wanted to see the power go to this person’s head. They would wait a long time. I would not be flaunting my new soldiers for a long while. By the time the world recovered and got over this ‘travesty’ – as the news called it – my new soldiers would be broken in so well that they would have no allegiance to their own cities.

Years of conditioning, re-conditioning plus me would alter any man’s mind.

I held up the blade that lay on my desk. It gleamed blue and then purple. Loki’s technology had helped us a lot during these battles. Ana’s information had been invaluable. And now I could take my precious time to continue with my plans.

A knock on the door caught my attention. I turned and put down the Ultraviolet Technology blade. My second in command stood there at attention; back stiff, hands at his sides, heels together, chin up.

“Sir?”

“Come,” I waved him in, “What is it?”

“Permission to speak, sir?”

“What about?”

“It’s about the prisoners, sir.”

“Continue.” I knew that it had to be a touchy subject for him to request permission to ask.

“You expressed preference to the red-headed humans. I am aware of how rare it is to find red-heads. Those things in mind, I wonder if the sir will want to have them separated from the other prisoners.”

“Did you speak to them?” I asked.

“Yes sir. They claim to belong to Masters Loki Cortada and Amos Cipriani.”

“You don’t believe them?”

“If they are telling the truth then we must return them, sir. We cannot keep the humans of Masters.”

“Bring them here,” I said.

“And we cannot kill them either, sir,” he said. I knew what he expected of me and I smiled.

“They will not die today. Bring them.”

He bowed and left the study. I went over to my chair, took a seat and a glass off the bar behind me. I poured myself a drink and waited on the girls to come. My second returned with the two in tow.

The girls each had electronic shackles binding their hands and legs. Ana seemed frightened while Ria just looked surly. Yes, good. Not one, but two red-heads. This really is lucky for me.

Everyone knew that with new technology available, people have been able to toy with genetics. Parents-to-be were able to alter everything from eye color to hereditary defects on their fetuses. At first it was fine, but too many years of tampering were not a good thing for some genes. These genetically edited children went on to grow up and intermingle with each other, thereby creating children with genes pools that have limited possibilities for their own children. We lived in a time where things like red hair, hazel eyes, freckles and aquiline noses were very rare. And like all things rare, they were coveted.

I liked things that were coveted.

“Please, sit sit,” I motioned toward the chairs, “We have to catch up.” Both shuffled toward the seats and eased into them. Ana’s eyes were in her lap. Ria’s were glaring at the table. I noticed that the girls were still wearing the same dirty clothes from before. I can’t have my new prize humans wearing torn, dirty clothes. I need to get that changed soon.

“Sooo…how’ve you been?” I beamed.

“Is that a rhetorical question, sir?” Ria’s head rose up to see me properly. Her voice was grainy.

“No. I truly want to know how you are,” I said pouring two glasses of water and sliding them over, “After all you’re going to be my humans now. I think I should show some – um – concern for your well-being.”

“We can’t be your humans,” Ana signed.

“We have to be legally signed over to you. And Master Amos will never sign me over. And neither will Mr. Cortada for Ana.”

“That’s all well and good, but that legal babble doesn’t count in the case of invasion and war,” I smiled, “Loophole. Look it up.”

“But…I can’t stay here. I belong to Loki.”

“I just told you, Ana…in case of war and invasion you belong to me even if I didn’t have you signed into my care.”

“No. You don’t understand. I mean I really belong to him,” she signed, “Take off my jacket.”

I frowned. He did not do what I thought he did. Of all the things he could do to mess this up, not this. “Get up,” I said coming around to her side of the table. I pushed the jacket off her shoulders and saw it. The design was melted into her skin and beveled there, but it was as clear as day. Loki’s crest was on her arm. “He branded you,” I scowled, “You are his Pet.”

Fury surged through me. My fingers curled in on themselves and I was sure I would see red soon. “He made you his Pet?” I roared. Ana flinched and even Ria’s eyes widened. “How long ago was this?” I demanded.

“Two months before you and I met,” she signed.

“Over five years ago?” I shouted, “Half a blasted decade? And no one thought to mention this?”

My still half filled glass sailed across the room and shattered into a million pieces throwing blood and alcohol on the walls and floor. Ria screamed and ducked. If she hadn’t it probably would have hit her.

I had had plans. I was going to torment my brother by flaunting his human as my own. I would have owned two rare gems. Sibling red-heads. That was the treasure trove of humans. They were very valuable and I had planned on having them both.

But Pets were sacred. They were not to be taken, mistreated or harmed. It was seen as the greatest act of evil to do so and it was punishable by law. Immortals saw Pets as children. They were human and therefore far too young to care for themselves properly. We provided for them, and loved them and treated them well. Some went as far as to spoil their Pets but all in all, the humans were a responsibility.

Because of the closeness of some Masters and Pets, it wasn’t rare to find them coupled off. Pets were only seen as children because they needed to be provided for. But if someone wanted to have a romantic relationship with their Pet, it was not frowned upon.

The binding circle that was branded around Loki’s crest was a display of his romantic claim on her.

I could not legally keep Ana. My brother is truly a pain. “Well played, Loki,” I murmured. Ria and Ana shared a glance. My rages and then sudden calm moods always made people uneasy at first. They would learn to get used to it because, “You’re staying. Both of you. I do not care whether or not you’re branded.” Ana’s mouth dropped open.

“But you can’t do that. She’s protected by the branding. She is Loki’s,” Ria said.

“It doesn’t matter. Are you branded?” I asked remembering how close she and her Master were.

“No. He was waiting until I was older.”

“Excellent. That’s not going to be an option anymore.”

“Why? You can’t possibly want to brand me.”

“Of course. I’m going to have you branded as my own. That way no one else can ta—.”

“NO!” she said, “I won’t accept. If I don’t accept in front of the legal witness, then it’s not valid. It won’t work.”

“I figured you’d say that,” I smiled, “You forget that I have the remote control for your sister’s handcuffs.”

“You bastard.”

“I’ve been called worse incidentally enough,” I shrugged, “Either way it’s all up to you to decide when you want to have it done. When you come up with a date and time, send word with my second-in-command…that’s the man who brought you two here. Keep in mind that for every day you take to make a date, I turn the dial a little higher. You don’t want to be locked in a room with your sister, knowing that it’s your fault that she’s spending the entire day being electrocuted. Or do you?”

She looked disgusted with me but I didn’t mind. Disgusted was good. It meant the threat got through to her. I knew she would rather die than be my Pet, so her sister was the obvious target. She’d never want Ana hurt. Ana was her weakness.

Those electronic handcuffs were very handy to have. The white shackles was simple enough but for the little built-in shockwaves running through it. It usually had very small electric pulses being sent out; uncomfortable but not exactly painful. That is, unless the dial was turned up on the remote control.

I had one universal remote for everyone’s handcuffs. I only had to put in their particular identification number and the remote would zero in on them. The higher numbers on the dial could stop the heart. The highest ones could fry the person. Very handy as I said.

Ria looked at her older sister. Ana turned as if feeling the gaze. “Don’t agree to this, Ria. I can take it. You can’t put yourself under his control,” Ana signed, “This is forever. You deserve a better Master. One that can be there for you.” I laughed at this. Clearly she thought Loki fit into those parameters. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. Either way they were comparing us like we were on the same level. He would never have it in him to do what I did. Narrow sighted ambition, that’s what he had.

“Let’s put it to a vote, shall we?” I stood up, “I say you accept my request for branding. All in favor?”

“Ye—.”

“You won’t!” Ana signed after smacking her sister in the arm with shacked hands.

“Ana, I have to. You know as well as I do what he’s capable of.”

“She’s right,” I agreed.

“Please don’t. You don’t know how deep branding goes. It…it affects you deep inside. You don’t want to be connected like that to him forever.”

“Connected to him?” Ria turned to me and the shudder that wracked her tiny frame was instinctive.

“Yes. Connected. Bonded. Joined. Emotionally and mentally and every way that counts,” Ana signed.

“I probably should point out that I don’t have much emotion.”

“Exactly. You don’t want that constant emptiness inside you. Every minute of every day. Forever.”

“…I can’t do it,” she whispered after take a second to look at me. Whatever she saw had cemented her decision, “Not this. Not forever.”

“Alrighty then,” I clapped my hands, “Then we’re done here. Off you trot. I’ll see you here tomorrow, same time. We’ll discuss it again.”

“I said no. That was my final answer.”

“Trust me,” I smiled, “You’ll want the opportunity to renegotiate tomorrow. Good ‘morrow”

I pressed the buzzer beneath the desk and my second appeared at the door. He took them away while I sat back in my chair and stared at the door over steepled fingers.

I suppose now is about as good a time as any. Leaning to the side, I took the remote out of my pocket and input Ana’s handcuff’s identification number. Good thing my memory is photographic. It made it very easy to put in the ID numbers of anyone at any given notice. Shame I didn’t have this memory in my other life. Maybe then I’d remember all of it.

“Speaking of which…” I murmured. Getting up I set out to look for Caroline. I thought it was about time for one of our little chats.

I found her sitting with her husband out back where the soldiers were staying. The couple was having their fair share of drinks and was bobbing to the drumming and singing going on around them. The soldiers were in an uproar, sloshing drinks over themselves and bumping into each other in their revelry. I couldn’t help but smile. This celebration was because of my victory. That in mind, I grabbed a bottle of Cannibalus. The beer laced blood went down smooth and I sighed. Caroline’s husband waved me over and I took up the invite to join them.

************************************************

{Third Person POV}

Ana and Ria sat in the room that was beside the first cellar used to house humans. Alejo’s second-in-command had shown them the cellar and what was kept inside. What…not who. Because the people in that place could not have managed to hold on to sanity, far less humanity.

The room was completely dark with the only light coming from the then open door; perfect conditions for a psychic breakdown.

 Alejo’s second had used a flashlight to shed a little more light, but the girls dearly wished that he hadn’t. It showed what appeared to be a cellar with water pooled on the floor as if the place had been flooded. The soldier explained that it took a while for the water to drain after the group was hosed at ‘shower time’.

This was not where all the humans stayed. Alejo would never treat something he planned to eat that way. His food had to be clean, healthy and presentable. But before they were fed from, they had to live in his castle. They had to be under his command and follow his rules. To ensure that, he first kept them in that cellar for two weeks. After that they were taken to a warmer, drier cellar furnished with beds and one tiny window. After the first two weeks, the second cellar seemed like paradise.

Better yet, the people learnt that Alejo could be as cruel as he could be merciful. They learnt to fear him and then respect soon followed.

The first cellar looked cold and unfit for a mangy rat, far less people. There seemed to be almost too many of them in there. All cowered as the door had opened. It was like whatever was on the other side of the door was far worse than what they were enduring now. Ana had the distinct feeling that they would rather stay in there than go out to meet a different fate. She tried to look away but the soldier made her look. He told them that this would be their fate if Alejo had not decided to favor them.

Ria felt sick looking at the people sitting around huddled to one end, trying not to call attention to themselves. She spotted what looked like bits of bread and sandwich filling floating in the shallow water around them.

“Who are they?” she had asked.

“Food,” was his clipped reply, “I’d suggest you stay in the Master’s good graces because the prisoners are far far worse off than them.”

Ana’s stomach turned at that. How she’d ever believed that Alejo was sweet and kind was beyond her. She felt so stupid now. She thanked the heavens that the soldier decided against showing them the prisoners. He told them that it would be too gory for two young ladies to see, before adding that it wouldn’t matter anyway. He seemed to think that they’d see their fair share of blood and gore eventually.

 At the moment they sat in a plain room that was clean and painted white. There was one bed for them to share and no windows. The idea of being stuck underground and locked in a room with no windows gave them a suffocated feeling. It took only ten minutes before they became desperate to get out.

“You know what the worst part is?” Ria whispered.

“What?” Ana asked trying not to squirm under the shocking sensations in her wrists.

“He thinks this is him doing us a favor by putting us here instead of with the others.”

“It is a favor. You saw that place. Like hell if I want to be in there.”

“My point is that there shouldn’t even be a place like that here. He’s evil in the truest sense,” Ria shook her head, “I can’t believe I even considered getting myself branded by him.”

“His mind is warped,” Ana agreed, “I couldn’t let you get connected to that.”

“Speaking of which,” Ria’s voice grew tender, “How bad is it?”

“I can take it.”

Ria put her head on her sister’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry. If I could take some of it away, I would.” Ana signed that it wasn’t her fault but that didn’t ease the guilt.

By the early morning, Ana was doubled over in the bed. She was in so much pain and yet the dial hadn’t been touched anymore than it had been before. She felt as if she couldn’t survive the shocks. They burned and hurt like nothing she’d ever known. Her fingers had a near constant spasm in them now.

Ria was huddled in one corner, unable to have slept the night before. Listening to her sister’s labored breathing and constant crying had been a torture in itself. Ana had rolled and screamed and sobbed and wailed and banged her head against the floor in an attempt to cancel out the pain. Ria did everything she could to ease her hurt but that list was short.

Ana couldn’t stomach breakfast or lunch. The idea of eating was just too much for her. She threw up twice nearing the evening time. Ria was too grateful when Alejo’s second opened the door. She wanted to drop kick the soldier for allowing this to happen, but she knew better. The castle was riddled with trained, immortal soldiers. It would be the heights of stupid to try to fight back. Instead she rushed over to him, “Take us to him.”

The soldier motioned for them to start walking. Ria had to half-carry her sister in her weakened state. Halfway to the grand staircase, Ana fainted and was jerked back awake by another shock. The soldier shook his head at her, “She cannot handle any more of this. She’ll die in about two days.” Ana didn’t seem to hear. Her head lolled onto Ria’s shoulder and Ria stroked her sister’s face.

It was a task getting up the stairs. When they got to the landing, Ria was almost completely carrying Ana.

“Good evening you two,” Alejo beamed clearly not seeing anything wrong with the picture, “Please, sit sit.” Ria was only too glad to put Ana into a chair.

“I take it that you didn’t waste your time sleeping and gossiping about hair and nails?” he chuckled, “You’ve had twenty-four hours to think about my offer.”

“She can’t take this. Take off the handcuffs. Or at least turn down the shocks,” Ria begged.

It disgusted her that she had to beg this man for anything. But for Ana, she’d do anything. They were family. She loved her.

“Yes, she really doesn’t look too good. All twitchy and red-faced. I believe she’s been crying a bit.”

“All night. She hasn’t eaten or slept. She’s hurting so badly.”

“It’s your own fault, not mine. I told you the situation and what would happen if you refused to agree. You both agreed. I assumed that you felt she was strong enough for this.”

“No you didn’t. You knew,” Ria glared at him.

“Well then,” Alejo pulled out the remote, “Shall we vote again? I will presume that you’ve come to a decision by now. Let me just input her ID number.”

“You’re despicable.”

“Still, been called worse,” he said in the distracted tone of someone who was only half interested in the conversation, “All set. I say you accept my request for branding. All in favor?”

“Ana cannot speak. She’s too weak to vote.”

“Then as her next of kin, you will vote for her. I’m waiting. And keep in mind, once I turn up the dial you will have to wait another twenty-four hours before you can vote again,” he said and flashed what he imagined was a warm smile.

Ria looked over at her sister and her heart broke a little more. “Yes. We vote yes. Now please, turn it down,” she said. Alejo looked at Ana for a moment before taking his sweet time to lower the dial on the remote. Ana let out a relieved sigh but she still looked as though she was hurting.

“It will take a while for it to wear off obviously,” he regarded them with a close eye, “But she should be fine. Of course the cuffs are still shocking her. That is it’s main function apart from binding your hands. When you are my Pet, she becomes the family of my Pet. Only then will the cuffs come off.”

“Can it be done today?” Ria took her sister’s hand. Ana seemed only half conscious.

“It will be difficult at such short notice.”

“You’re Master Alejo Veracci,” she growled knowing damn well the power behind that name, “You can get it done.”

“I can,” he admitted.

“Then do it, please.”

“Why should I? After I suffered the insult of you denying me, I should deny you this,” he said. His stare was fixed on her, wanting to see what she would do.

“You tortured her for twenty-four hours! To keep those cuffs on, still shocking her, is like beating a man for twenty-four hours and then making him spend another twenty-four having his flayed skin smacked.”

“Beautiful analogy. You do have a way with words,” he said, “…I suppose I can pull some strings and have it organized.”

He pulled out his phone and made a couple of calls. When he put his phone down finally, he sighed. “Fate smiles down on you it would seem,” he said to Ria before turning to his second, “You, have these two taken care of and bring them down when I say so.” The soldier nodded and took them to another room.

It was clean but appeared unused. It was decked out with all the finery of the rest of the castle. Pillars, expensive paintings and heavy, crimson curtains. There was a bay window near the bed and the curtains were parted down the middle and tied to the side with gold colored rope. The room screamed old money and excess.

Maids came in and tended to each of them. Ana was bathed and groomed before she was put to rest on the gigantic bed in the middle of the room. It wasn’t queen sized or even king sized. It was goddess sized. Unaware of what was happening around her, Ana fell into a deep sleep. Ria leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I’m doing this for you,” she whispered.

Ria had to admit, Alejo had some thorough nurses. They scrubbed her clean with possibly four different soaps and washed her hair with some salon brand. It was a wonder to her where he even got these feminine products. Someone was undoing the tangles and knots from her hair while another was washing her cuts and bruises from the Bvendini invasion.

She was shocked further at the pampering she got afterward. When she was out of the shower, she was put into a fluffy robe and put to soak her feet in hot water. One of the maids gave her a foot massage and pedicure while another took care of her chipped and bitten nails. When they were done they did her hair and makeup before getting her something to wear. It was now she wondered where on earth he got clothes from.

It didn’t matter either way. When she was done, her feet felt so amazing it was like walking on clouds. And she felt relaxed. After the stress of last night she never imagined such relaxation. She almost felt guilty enjoying this while her sister lay sleeping and in pain a few feet away.

She didn’t have long to feel guilty. Alejo’s second was there to escort her to him. “Can I ask you a question?” she asked on their way. He turned to her but didn’t say anything.

“You’re his second-in-command. Don’t you have more important things to do than escort me all over the castle?” she said.

“You will be his Pet. What is more important?” he asked. There was no fighting that logic.

She went into the room feeling a little nervous. It wasn’t what she had expected. This room was actually pretty modest. There was regular living room furniture that didn’t look as though it had been won in an auction at some ridiculous price. The window looked out at the grassy fields surrounding the castle and it opened the room up a lot.

It helped Ria to calm her nerves. She took a deep breath and met the graying man dressed in black and white. “Good evening, Father,” she said to the elderly immortal ambling over to her. He shook her hand and reassured her that it would be quick and virtually pain free.

Alejo came in wearing his usual suit. She’d never seen him in anything else. As usual, he was looking sharp and stood with the stiffness of a soldier under inspection. “Is everything ready?” he asked. The priest nodded.

For a split second, I considered exposing Alejo for what he’d done. And almost immediately I thought better of it. He was not a man to cross. While travelling with the soldiers in the underwater craft, she had overheard them talking about what had happened to Alejo’s advisor in Bvendini. If that was Alejo’s closest thing to a friend according to them, who was she?

Double crossing him wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do. He was cruel but he was clever. She was sure he had people on standby in case she betrayed him. After all what was one more priest? And a lawyer? Her eyes drifted to the second man in the room. His suit was well pressed and neat but it didn’t have the nearly obsessive immaculateness of Alejo’s. She couldn’t help but wonder if he scared the wrinkles away.

“First I will require that you read the legalities before you each sign your names,” the lawyer held out the document, “Take your time. This is a big decision. Go it over a few times if you need to. Masters first.” Alejo took it. His eyes skimmed over the words, his eyes widening at some parts. It seemed that he didn’t know the full extent of this arrangement.

“I’m sorry, are these highlighted parts all possible?” he pointed at a section.

“Yes, Master Alejo. Every single one of them.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Will that be a problem?”

“They may be potentially problematic…but I’m sure I can manage,” he said.

He signed the documents and placed them on the coffee table that they all had gathered around. The layer slid the papers over to Ria. “And now the lady,” he smiled, “Be sure to read it all before you sign.”

Ria read the document in total silence even though she knew she had no real choice in the matter. The beginning of the papers spoke about what the relationship entailed and what was allowed. “Friendships…romantic relationship…s-sexual relationships…offspring,” she whispered scanning what they were permitted aside from the platonic Pet-Master relationship. She felt sick at the idea of she and Alejo becoming that close. Of course, she knew that he was incapable of romantic feelings, but that didn’t stop the nausea.

The men noticed her sudden pallor and sent for some tea. She insisted that she was fine at the glare Alejo shot her. She was wary of the remote still in his pocket. A quick turn to one hundred percent and Ana would have an almost instant death.

She continued reading the part that talked about what was expected of a Pet and what she’d have the liberty to do. “I have to let him feed from me whenever he asks?” she looked from the priest to the lawyer.

“That is the primary use of a Pet. For food. It’s a small feeding, enough to sustain your Master until he gets to a blood bag. Persons without a Pet tend to need far more blood. Pets have reduced death-by-feeding rate by sixty-two point three percent,” the priest said, “It is a useful arrangement.”

“I-I understand,” she shook off the feeling of dread.

When she got to the highlighted portion, she had lost so much color in her face that the men insisted that she drank more tea and had some sugar cookies. Her lie about her blood pressure being low at the moment held up for the while. All they did was warn her to get it back up before allowing a feeding session.

The highlighted section spoke about the possible side effects of the branding. There were things on there like shared traits, memory loss, emotion swapping, a sense of dependency, mood swings and a whole long list of things Ria did not want to even consider. “As if he doesn’t have enough problems as it was,” she said so quietly that it was mouthed more than spoken. All of the symptoms were for either him or expected him to pass onto her.

When she had finished reading she looked up at Alejo and met his cold blue eyes even when her body begged her to look away. It was sheer stubbornness that made her hold the gaze. He would not win every battle. She had to admit, his amused smile did tick her off a bit.

“Alright…” she murmured and signed her name on the lines reserved for her signature. The lawyer took the documents and looked it over. With a nod, he took the papers and watched on. He would have to sign the document as he was the witness to this.

The rest went by in a blur for Ria. She made her promises and Alejo made his. They were made to hold hands throughout the entire thing. She felt as if he wasn’t someone that a person simply went up to and touched. Her very skin crawled to have his hands grasping hers.

A pair of miniscule drinking glasses were produced from the priest’s case. Each of them was asked to offer a few drops of blood to fill their respective glasses. Squeamish, Ria closed her eyes before drinking it all in barely a gulp. The priest gave his blessing for their future relationship and asked them to drink something clear and sweet smelling.

It was like water but a tad bitter and Ria felt funny after drinking it. She wasn’t sure if it was good funny or bad funny. Alejo’s face twisted in confusion after drinking his share. He glared at the mysterious liquid but didn’t say anything.

When the feeling settled, it was as if a part of her was reaching for him. She didn’t want it to. Her basic survival instincts cowered from him. But whatever drew them together was being relentless. It finally touched his presence and held on. She felt his brush against hers and resisted the urge to flinch. She then accepted it.

“The Master chooses the place,” the lawyer said.

“Upper left side of her back,” Alejo replied.

The priest nodded and Alejo left to go to the fireplace. In the meantime Ria unbuttoned the first few buttons on her shirt and allowed the cloth to slide down her shoulders, arms and back. The priest and lawyer held her down so that she wouldn’t move and risk messing up the brand.

When metal touched skin, she screamed out. Her flesh was scorched and her eyes watered. She held in the sob that wanted so desperately to come out. And just like that, it was done.

The skin was seen after and treated as best as possible this soon after the branding. The men shook Ria’s hand, wished the two all the luck in the world and then left the castle.

Alejo made a call and Ana was instantly released from her cuffs before being escorted to another room. He didn’t want the two sharing a bedroom. He didn’t trust them to be together that much.

“So…you’re my Pet now,” he beamed.

“Don’t get your hopes up. I will not call you Master.”

“Taking advantage of your free speech already I see.”

“It’s hardly free speech. I can still get into trouble if you decide that you don’t like what I say.”

“Indeed. But I have a feeling that I’ll let you say more than even you would trust yourself to say…and then again, maybe I won’t,” he said, “Be careful of my moods, new Pet.”

“I have a feeling that’s not the only thing I need to be careful of.”

“Fascinating and wise. My am I a lucky man,” he said before brushing past her and heading up the stairs.

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I'm really liking how this turned out. I don't do really dark stuff like this so when I decided to test myself, I didn't think I had it in me to go this dark sometimes. I guess I'm glad I don't always stick to the same sort of romances lol.

Either way this chapter was obviously a big step chapter for the characters and storyline. What did you guys think of it? Honestly.