Chapter Nineteen #3
“Please!” Laura begged, tugging where Victor held her. “This must be some mistake. I-I’m not meant to be here. I only left my boyfriend for five minutes. H-He’ll be looking for me. This is a mistake. Please, please take me back.”
“Sweetling, there is no mistake.” Victor let her go. “You’re home, whether you like it or not.”
Striding past her, he touched the next girl—a curvy dark blonde with large nipples. “Gentlemen, this is Chloe.” He smiled kindly. “I remember you as it’s such a pretty name to go with your very pretty face.”
Chloe shied away, but Victor didn’t reprimand her.
Striding to the third girl, he ran his hands over her corkscrew brown curls. “And this is Tanya.” He glanced down. “It is Tanya, correct? My memory is starting to go on me, I’m afraid.”
“I-It’s Talia.” She flinched back from his caress.
“Another pretty name.” Victor pressed a fatherly kiss on her forehead. Turning to face the crowd, he beamed. “Say hello to Talia, my dear friends!”
“Wait. Please. I-I don’t want to be here,” Talia begged. “I was only supposed to sleep with one guy. That’s what the escort service said. I-I have a daughter back at home—”
“Ahh, Vic.” A grumble of voices sounded from Victor’s despicable guests. “A mother? Fuck that. What the hell?”
“I’ve been assured she’s tight, gentlemen.” Victor held up his hand. “Don’t begrudge the gifts I’m giving you before you’ve had a play, yes?”
Glancing down the line, he commanded, “Start from the end. Please give us your name, and then you’ll be permitted to rest. It’s been a long trip, and I’m aware you’ll all be tired.”
The two newly collared men who looked in their late teens glowered at Victor with hatred.
“I’m Carlos,” the Spanish-looking one spat.
“Jayden.” The dark-skinned one bared his teeth.
“And now you four, if you would.” Victor smiled at the remaining girls. Two exotic beauties and two mousy English roses.
“I-I’m Devi,” the smaller one whispered.
“I’m Jin.” The Korean stunner sniffed.
“I’m Ava and that’s Sadie. We...we’re sisters.” They looked at each other. “We only snuck out to go to that party because our dad was being such a bore. It was our last night in Santorini.”
The taller one started crying. “We only wanted to have some fun before we flew home. Please...this can’t be happening. We just want to go home.”
The second sister hugged her, tears rolling. “We won’t tell anyone, we promise. Just let us go and—”
“Fuck this.” Laura bolted.
Dashing off the stage, she darted around the tables only to fall flat on her face as one Master stuck out his leg, tripping her.
Victor sighed and rolled his eyes as the two boys joined her.
They exploded in a fit of speed, their bare feet slapping on the oak floor as they leapt off the stage.
Victor ran a finger over his eyebrow. “There’s really no point in running. You’re just harming yourselves by trying.”
“Screw you.” Talia grabbed Chloe’s hand and jumped down the steps. They almost made it to the double doors before they dropped to their stomachs, jerking with savage electricity.
Striding off the stage, Victor kept his thumb stabbed into his black device as he marched toward the thrashing jewels. The guards rounded up the others, poking them back into place with their guns.
Talia and Chloe twitched at his feet.
Victor never stopped pressing that damn button.
“First lesson, my new pets. Don’t speak if you’re not given permission. Don’t fight unless you’re told. Don’t run unless you’re made to. Don’t scream unless you’re being fucked.”
A few Masters laughed all while the girls learned firsthand what their collars were capable of. The other seven just watched, yanking at their own collars, desperation clawing at their souls.
Hot, blistering tears scalded my eyes.
I couldn’t look away.
Couldn’t breathe.
My own veins sliced with memories of what that felt like.
I rolled into myself as phantom pains rippled down my body.
Henri touched my shoulder. “It’s okay, little nightmare.”
The first willing pet from him. The first kind word in so long.
I couldn’t look at him.
Across the room, Peter vibrated with uncontrollable rage. Every jewel present at dinner pulsed with violent energy. Waves of it wafted from the floor where we kneeled. Our matching hate and hopelessness itched in my teeth and pressed against my skull.
The surge of despair and revulsion coming from all my fellow prisoners cut through every illusion of training and obedience.
There was still life in us.
Still courage in us.
Still fight in us.
We have to get the fuck out of here.
Peter raised his eyes and met mine.
In a terribly bold move, he raised his bandaged fist and thumped it over his heart.
A single tear swelled and spilled down my cheek.
I raised my hand and thumped my heart too.
Henri’s chair fell back as he shot to his feet.
His suddenness cut Victor’s punishment short.
The new girls gasped and cried as their bodies jerked with exhaustion.
Bowing his head in respect at Victor, Henri grabbed me around the bicep and dragged me toward the doors leading to the deck outside. Smashing one open, he yanked me over the threshold, then broke into a run, dragging me beside him.